CVE-2016-9953

The verify_certificate function in lib/vtls/schannel.c in libcurl 7.30.0 through 7.51.0, when built for Windows CE using the schannel TLS backend, allows…

published March 12, 2018

CVSS
—
EPSS
2%
Percentile
78.3
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

⚠️ A wildcard certificate could be your worst nightmare! This sneaky flaw in libcurl from versions 7.30.0 to 7.51.0 lets attackers potentially read sensitive info and even crash your system! 🔥 Think of it like a restaurant accepting an infinite variety of dinner reservations under the same name. If someone sneaky makes a reservation with a wildcard name, they could get a table for any number of guests—and cause chaos for the restaurant staff! An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to access sensitive information, possibly leading to a denial of service where your application crashes, interrupting service. This might not be a widespread issue, but the potential for disruption cannot be ignored!

Put simply

Think of it like a restaurant accepting an infinite variety of dinner reservations under the same name. If someone sneaky makes a reservation with a wildcard name, they could get a table for any number of guests—and cause chaos for the restaurant staff! The issue lies in the `verify_certificate` function within libcurl, which can lead to an out-of-bounds read when handling wildcard certificate names, allowing attackers to exploit this flaw.

What to do

An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to access sensitive information, possibly leading to a denial of service where your application crashes, interrupting service. This might not be a widespread issue, but the potential for disruption cannot be ignored! It's crucial to upgrade libcurl to the latest version available to mitigate this vulnerability. If you're using older versions, consider building with different TLS backends that don't present this flaw. Regularly audit your code for dependencies as well! You've got this! Patch up that libcurl and keep your systems secure! 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS
Not scored
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.01797 · 78.3th percentile
Published
2018-03-12T21:00Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 12 MAR 21:00Z
    The verify_certificate function in lib/vtls/schannel.c in libcurl 7.30.0 through 7.51.0, when built for Windows CE using the schannel TLS backend, allows…
    cvelistv5