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CVE-2022-0778

Infinite loop in BN_mod_sqrt() reachable when parsing certificates

Description

The BN_mod_sqrt() function, which computes a modular square root, contains a bug that can cause it to loop forever for non-prime moduli. Internally this function is used when parsing certificates that contain elliptic curve public keys in compressed form or explicit elliptic curve parameters with a base point encoded in compressed form. It is possible to trigger the infinite loop by crafting a certificate that has invalid explicit curve parameters. Since certificate parsing happens prior to verification of the certificate signature, any process that parses an externally supplied certificate may thus be subject to a denial of service attack. The infinite loop can also be reached when parsing crafted private keys as they can contain explicit elliptic curve parameters. Thus vulnerable situations include: - TLS clients consuming server certificates - TLS servers consuming client certificates - Hosting providers taking certificates or private keys from customers - Certificate authorities parsing certification requests from subscribers - Anything else which parses ASN.1 elliptic curve parameters Also any other applications that use the BN_mod_sqrt() where the attacker can control the parameter values are vulnerable to this DoS issue. In the OpenSSL 1.0.2 version the public key is not parsed during initial parsing of the certificate which makes it slightly harder to trigger the infinite loop. However any operation which requires the public key from the certificate will trigger the infinite loop. In particular the attacker can use a self-signed certificate to trigger the loop during verification of the certificate signature. This issue affects OpenSSL versions 1.0.2, 1.1.1 and 3.0. It was addressed in the releases of 1.1.1n and 3.0.2 on the 15th March 2022. Fixed in OpenSSL 3.0.2 (Affected 3.0.0,3.0.1). Fixed in OpenSSL 1.1.1n (Affected 1.1.1-1.1.1m). Fixed in OpenSSL 1.0.2zd (Affected 1.0.2-1.0.2zc).

Timeline

  1. ID reserved

    By openssl

  2. · 15 days later

    Published

  3. · 5 years later

    Record updated

Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.

Scores

CVSS scores of CVE-2022-0778, by who scored it
Scored byCVSSScoreVector
CISA-ADPADP (enrichment)3.1High7.5CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
NVDNVD · Modified3.1High7.5CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
73.2% · top 0.5% of all CVEs (12 Nov 2026)
CISA SSVC
Exploitation: none · Automatable: yes · Technical impact: partial
Loading the EPSS history…

The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: High 7.5.

Affected products

  • OpenSSL · OpenSSL

    • affected Fixed in OpenSSL 3.0.2 (Affected 3.0.0,3.0.1)
    • affected Fixed in OpenSSL 1.1.1n (Affected 1.1.1-1.1.1m)
    • affected Fixed in OpenSSL 1.0.2zd (Affected 1.0.2-1.0.2zc)

Affected packages

From reviewed advisories of the GitHub Advisory Database.

References

References34

Sources

The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.

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Record last updated .