Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2023-3446 is a denial-of-service weakness in OpenSSL parameter checking. If an application checks untrusted Diffie-Hellman keys or parameters, specially oversized input can make the check take a long time. This can delay or tie up affected services, but the OpenSSL TLS implementation and OpenSSL 3.0/3.1 FIPS providers are not affected.
Executive priority
Treat this as a moderate availability risk. It deserves routine patching and targeted review for services that validate untrusted cryptographic parameters. It is less urgent than remote code execution or exploited vulnerabilities because the cited sources do not show active exploitation and OpenSSL TLS itself is not affected.
Technical view
DH_check(), DH_check_ex(), and EVP_PKEY_param_check() can continue using an oversized DH modulus during later checks after identifying it as too large. Applications or OpenSSL command-line checks that process untrusted DH parameters may suffer excessive CPU time and service delay. The issue maps to CWE-606 and has CVSS 3.1 score 5.3.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely in applications, appliances, or workflows that use affected OpenSSL releases and validate externally supplied DH keys or parameters. General TLS traffic handled by OpenSSL is not affected according to the advisory. The dhparam and pkeyparam command-line tools are affected only when used with the -check option.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not show known active exploitation, and CISA KEV is false. Practical abuse requires a path to make the target validate attacker-controlled DH parameters. The impact is availability degradation, not data theft or code execution, based on the supplied CVSS and OpenSSL description.
Researcher notes
Focus analysis on call paths that pass untrusted DH parameters into OpenSSL validation APIs. The important scoping detail is exclusion: OpenSSL SSL/TLS and 3.0/3.1 FIPS providers are not affected. Evidence in the bundle supports patches but does not establish exploitation in the wild.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade to vendor-provided fixed OpenSSL packages or patched releases.
- Prioritize systems validating untrusted DH keys or parameters.
- Avoid accepting untrusted DH parameter checks until patched or constrained.
- Check appliance and OS vendor advisories for packaged OpenSSL updates.
- Do not run dhparam or pkeyparam -check on untrusted inputs with vulnerable builds.
Validation and detection
- Inventory OpenSSL versions across applications, containers, hosts, and appliances.
- Search code for DH_check, DH_check_ex, and EVP_PKEY_param_check usage.
- Identify workflows that accept DH keys or parameters from external users.
- Confirm whether dhparam or pkeyparam -check is exposed to untrusted files.
- Verify OpenSSL package updates or patched vendor builds are installed.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-606: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2023-3446 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 5.3 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L3.91.4Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.3MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- OpenSSL AdvisoryCVE reference · vendor-advisory
- 3.1.2 git commitCVE reference · patch
- 3.0.10 git commitCVE reference · patch
- 1.1.1v git commitCVE reference · patch
- 1.0.2zi patch (premium)CVE reference · patch
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230803-0011/CVE reference · x_transferred
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/08/msg00019.htmlCVE reference · x_transferred
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202402-08CVE reference · x_transferred
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Unchecked Input for Loop Condition
Unchecked Input for Loop Condition represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.
