CVE Tools

CVE-2024-4603

Excessive time spent checking DSA keys and parameters

Published: May 16, 2024Updated: Nov 21, 2024 Sources: CVE List NVD BDU csafCWE-606
5.3CVSSMEDIUM

Description

Issue summary: Checking excessively long DSA keys or parameters may be very slow. Impact summary: Applications that use the functions EVP_PKEY_param_check() or EVP_PKEY_public_check() to check a DSA public key or DSA parameters may experience long delays. Where the key or parameters that are being checked have been obtained from an untrusted source this may lead to a Denial of Service. The functions EVP_PKEY_param_check() or EVP_PKEY_public_check() perform various checks on DSA parameters. Some of those computations take a long time if the modulus (`p` parameter) is too large. Trying to use a very large modulus is slow and OpenSSL will not allow using public keys with a modulus which is over 10,000 bits in length for signature verification. However the key and parameter check functions do not limit the modulus size when performing the checks. An application that calls EVP_PKEY_param_check() or EVP_PKEY_public_check() and supplies a key or parameters obtained from an untrusted source could be vulnerable to a Denial of Service attack. These functions are not called by OpenSSL itself on untrusted DSA keys so only applications that directly call these functions may be vulnerable. Also vulnerable are the OpenSSL pkey and pkeyparam command line applications when using the `-check` option. The OpenSSL SSL/TLS implementation is not affected by this issue. The OpenSSL 3.0 and 3.1 FIPS providers are affected by this issue.

CVSS Vector Breakdown

AV:NAC:LPR:NUI:NS:UC:NI:NA:L
Exploitability
AV:NAttack Vector
Network
AC:LAttack Complexity
Low
PR:NPrivileges Required
None
UI:NUser Interaction
None
Scope
S:UScope
Unchanged
Impact
C:NConfidentiality
None
I:NIntegrity
None
A:LAvailability
Low

Weaknesses

Affected Products

openssl software foundationoss-projectUSOSS Librariesaka openssl.org, openssl foundation
openssloss-projectUSOSS Librariesaka open ssl

Attack Graph

Products CVE Techniques Tactics

Click technique nodes to view MITRE ATT&CK details. Scroll to zoom, drag to pan.

Exploitability

Official Patch Available

MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique
Impact
View detailed technique mapping

References

and 488 more references View all →

Timeline

Published
May 16, 2024
Last Updated
Nov 21, 2024

Unlock Complete Vulnerability Intelligence

Get the full picture for CVE-2024-4603 and every CVE in our database. Create a free account — no credit card required.

Create Free Account
Plain-language analysis
Impact assessment and exploitation scenario in plain English
Attack graph visualization
Interactive attack path and kill chain mapping
Exploit details & PoC links
ExploitDB, Metasploit, GitHub PoCs with direct links
Nuclei scanner templates
Ready-to-use vulnerability scanner templates
Full remediation guide
Patch instructions, workarounds, and compliance impact
Interactive AI chat
Ask questions about this vulnerability in natural language
Related vulnerabilities
Semantically similar CVEs and attack patterns
REST API & MCP access
Integrate vulnerability data into your workflows