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CVE Record

CVE-2023-3446: Excessive time spent checking DH keys and parameters

Issue summary: Checking excessively long DH keys or parameters may be very slow. Impact summary: Applications that use the functions DH_check(), DH_check_ex() or EVP_PKEY_param_check() to check a DH key or DH 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 function DH_check() performs various checks on DH parameters. One of those checks confirms that the modulus ('p' parameter) is not too large. Trying to use a very large modulus is slow and OpenSSL will not normally use a modulus which is over 10,000 bits in length. However the DH_check() function checks numerous aspects of the key or parameters that have been supplied. Some of those checks use the supplied modulus value even if it has already been found to be too large. An application that calls DH_check() and supplies a key or parameters obtained from an untrusted source could be vulernable to a Denial of Service attack. The function DH_check() is itself called by a number of other OpenSSL functions. An application calling any of those other functions may similarly be affected. The other functions affected by this are DH_check_ex() and EVP_PKEY_param_check(). Also vulnerable are the OpenSSL dhparam 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 not affected by this issue.

MediumCVSS 5.3Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

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.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
8

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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

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cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-606: Exact CWE lookup

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Open ATT&CK lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-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
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
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

Official CVE source material

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.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
9Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We 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.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
5.3CVSS 3.1MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L3.91.4Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

5.3Medium
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2023-3446Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
OpenSSLOpenSSL3.1.0, 3.0.0, 1.1.1, 1.0.2unaffected
Weakness

CWE details

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.

CWE-606 · source CWE mapping

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.