Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2023-50781 is a confidentiality risk in M2Crypto. A remote attacker may be able to recover captured secrets from TLS servers that use RSA key exchanges. The issue is described as an incomplete fix for CVE-2020-25657 and is rated high, but the provided sources do not show known active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat this as high priority for environments using M2Crypto in TLS services, especially cloud infrastructure components. The business risk is exposure of confidential data from captured traffic, but urgency depends on whether RSA key exchange and affected packages are actually present.
Technical view
The flaw is a Bleichenbacher-style timing/observable-discrepancy issue in M2Crypto's RSA decryption API, mapped to CWE-203. It affects confidentiality only under CVSS 3.1, with network access, low complexity, no privileges, and no user interaction. Red Hat lists RHUI 4 m2crypto as affected, while several other Red Hat package/product combinations are unaffected or unknown.
Likely exposure
Likely exposure is limited to systems or products using M2Crypto for TLS server paths that still allow RSA key exchange. Red Hat RHUI 4 for Cloud Providers m2crypto is listed as affected. RHEL 6 and 7 m2crypto status is unknown in the provided bundle, so those estates need vendor confirmation.
Exploitation context
The bundle says a remote attacker may decrypt captured TLS messages when vulnerable TLS servers use RSA key exchanges. No KEV listing is present, and the provided sources do not establish active exploitation, public weaponization, or a confirmed patch level.
Researcher notes
Evidence is strongest for the vulnerability class, CVSS vector, and Red Hat product status entries. The bundle does not provide affected upstream version ranges, fixed versions, proof of exploitation, or detailed Siemens impact, so validation should avoid assumptions beyond confirmed M2Crypto/RSA key exchange exposure.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory systems and products that include or depend on M2Crypto.
- Check Red Hat, Siemens, and upstream vendor guidance for fixed packages or supported workarounds.
- Prioritize RHUI 4 m2crypto environments listed as affected.
- Confirm RHEL 6 and RHEL 7 status with vendor support before accepting risk.
- Review TLS configurations for RSA key exchange exposure with vendor-approved guidance.
Validation and detection
- Identify where M2Crypto is installed or bundled in server-side TLS paths.
- Map findings to Red Hat product statuses in the CVE source bundle.
- Verify whether affected endpoints support RSA key exchange.
- Confirm package versions and remediation availability against vendor advisories.
- Document systems where product status remains unknown or unsupported.
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-203: Information exposure and cloud metadata lookup
Information exposure and SSRF weaknesses can make discovery, cloud metadata, and credential material review relevant. 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-2023-50781 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
- High
- CVSS
- 7.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
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.
SSVC decision data
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:H/I:N/A:N3.93.6redhatVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.5HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- Source timelineredhat
Reported to Red Hat.
- Source timelineredhat
Made public.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-50781CVE reference, redhat · vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHBZ#2254426CVE reference, redhat · issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-265688.htmlCVE reference, siemens-SADP
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.
Observable Discrepancy
Observable Discrepancy represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.