OpenSSL up to 3.6.0 PKCS#12 PKCS12_item_decrypt_d2i_ex null pointer dereference

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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6.7$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in OpenSSL up to 3.6.0. It has been declared as problematic. The impacted element is the function PKCS12_item_decrypt_d2i_ex of the component PKCS#12 Handler. The manipulation results in null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2025-69421. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. No exploit is available. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, was found in OpenSSL up to 3.6.0. Affected is the function PKCS12_item_decrypt_d2i_ex of the component PKCS#12 Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. This is going to have an impact on availability. CVE summarizes:

Issue summary: Processing a malformed PKCS#12 file can trigger a NULL pointer dereference in the PKCS12_item_decrypt_d2i_ex() function. Impact summary: A NULL pointer dereference can trigger a crash which leads to Denial of Service for an application processing PKCS#12 files. The PKCS12_item_decrypt_d2i_ex() function does not check whether the oct parameter is NULL before dereferencing it. When called from PKCS12_unpack_p7encdata() with a malformed PKCS#12 file, this parameter can be NULL, causing a crash. The vulnerability is limited to Denial of Service and cannot be escalated to achieve code execution or memory disclosure. Exploiting this issue requires an attacker to provide a malformed PKCS#12 file to an application that processes it. For that reason the issue was assessed as Low severity according to our Security Policy. The FIPS modules in 3.6, 3.5, 3.4, 3.3 and 3.0 are not affected by this issue, as the PKCS#12 implementation is outside the OpenSSL FIPS module boundary. OpenSSL 3.6, 3.5, 3.4, 3.3, 3.0, 1.1.1 and 1.0.2 are vulnerable to this issue.

The advisory is shared for download at openssl-library.org. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2025-69421 since 01/06/2026. The exploitability is told to be easy. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. The exploitation doesn't require any form of authentication. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $0-$5k (estimation calculated on 03/13/2026).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 296784 (OpenSSL 3.3.0 < 3.3.6 Multiple Vulnerabilities), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 1.0.2zn, 1.1.1ze, 3.0.19, 3.3.6, 3.4.4, 3.5.5 or 3.6.1 eliminates this vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (296784), EUVD (EUVD-2025-206393) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2026-0234). Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Affected

  • IBM VIOS
  • IBM AIX
  • Debian Linux
  • Google Cloud Platform
  • Amazon Linux 2
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • NetApp Data ONTAP
  • Ubuntu Linux
  • SUSE Linux
  • Oracle Linux
  • IGEL OS
  • SUSE openSUSE
  • Fabasoft Cloud
  • RESF Rocky Linux
  • IBM App Connect Enterprise
  • Open Source OpenSSL
  • Broadcom Brocade SANnav
  • Fortinet FortiPortal
  • Meinberg LANTIME
  • Red Hat OpenShift
  • IBM MQ
  • Open Source Camunda
  • ABB AC-500

Productinfo

Type

Name

Version

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 6.8
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 6.7

VulDB Base Score: 5.3
VulDB Temp Score: 5.1
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 7.5
NVD Vector: 🔒

ADP CISA Base Score: 7.5
ADP CISA Vector: 🔒

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Null pointer dereference
CWE: CWE-476 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Nessus ID: 296784
Nessus Name: OpenSSL 3.3.0 < 3.3.6 Multiple Vulnerabilities

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: OpenSSL 1.0.2zn/1.1.1ze/3.0.19/3.3.6/3.4.4/3.5.5/3.6.1

Timelineinfo

01/06/2026 CVE reserved
01/27/2026 +21 days Advisory disclosed
01/27/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
03/13/2026 +45 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Product: openssl.org

Advisory: openssl-library.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2025-69421 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2025-69421
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-343020
EUVD: 🔒
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2026-0234 - OpenSSL: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Entryinfo

Created: 01/27/2026 17:13
Updated: 03/13/2026 19:12
Changes: 01/27/2026 17:13 (56), 01/28/2026 01:38 (2), 01/28/2026 20:02 (7), 01/29/2026 14:32 (1), 02/02/2026 23:54 (1), 02/03/2026 09:35 (11), 02/28/2026 08:42 (11), 03/06/2026 02:06 (1), 03/13/2026 19:12 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

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