CVE-2023-0215: Openssl src Openssl-src Vulnerable To Use-after-free Following Vulnerability
HIGHCVE-2023-0215 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) openssl-src vulnerable to use-after-free following vulnerability (CWE-416: Use After Free) affecting Openssl src libraries in the crates.io ecosystem. The issue involves openssl-src vulnerable to use-after-free following `bio_new_ndef`. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 111.25.0, 300.0.12.
CVE-2023-0215 at a Glance
Security Impact
CVSS: 7.5
The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).
How to Fix CVE-2023-0215
To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Openssl src dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.
Upgrade openssl-src to 111.25.0
Upgrade openssl-src to 300.0.12
Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:
inspect dependencies for openssl-src
How to Check if You Are Affected
To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2023-0215, inspect your project dependencies for Openssl src:
inspect dependencies for openssl-src
Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Openssl src in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 111.25.0), your application is affected.
Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.
Technical Details
Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-416: Use After Free, where the product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. at some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer. In Openssl src, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.
Source Advisory Statement
CVE-2023-0215 Affected Openssl src Versions
2 component(s)| Product / Package | Ecosystem | Affected Versions | Fixed Version |
|---|---|---|---|
|
openssl-src
|
crates.io |
< 111.25.0
|
111.25.0
|
|
openssl-src
|
crates.io |
≥ 300.0.0
< 300.0.12
|
300.0.12
|
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2023-0215?
Which Openssl src versions are affected?
What version fixes CVE-2023-0215?
Is openssl-src affected?
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2023-0215?
What CWE is associated with CVE-2023-0215?
How can I check crates.io dependencies for CVE-2023-0215?
Machine-readable OSV JSON
OSV v1.5 Schema
{
"schema_version" : "1.4.0",
"id" : "GHSA-r7jw-wp68-3xch",
"modified" : "2025-11-04T22:09:24Z",
"published" : "2023-02-08T22:28:34Z",
"aliases" : [ "CVE-2023-0215" ],
"summary" : "openssl-src vulnerable to Use-after-free following `BIO_new_NDEF`",
"details" : "The public API function `BIO_new_NDEF` is a helper function used for streaming ASN.1 data via a `BIO`. It is primarily used internally to OpenSSL to support the SMIME, CMS and PKCS7 streaming capabilities, but may also be called directly by end user applications.\n\nThe function receives a `BIO` from the caller, prepends a new `BIO_f_asn1` filter `BIO` onto the front of it to form a `BIO` chain, and then returns the new head of the `BIO` chain to the caller. Under certain conditions, for example if a CMS recipient public key is invalid, the new filter `BIO` is freed and the function returns a `NULL` result indicating a failure. However, in this case, the `BIO` chain is not properly cleaned up and the `BIO` passed by the caller still retains internal pointers to the previously freed filter `BIO`. If the caller then goes on to call `BIO_pop()` on the `BIO` then a use-after-free will occur. This will most likely result in a crash.\n\nThis scenario occurs directly in the internal function `B64_write_ASN1()` which may cause `BIO_new_NDEF()` to be called and will subsequently call `BIO_pop()` on the `BIO`. This internal function is in turn called by the public API functions `PEM_write_bio_ASN1_stream`, `PEM_write_bio_CMS_stream`, `PEM_write_bio_PKCS7_stream`, `SMIME_write_ASN1`, `SMIME_write_CMS` and `SMIME_write_PKCS7`.\n\nOther public API functions that may be impacted by this include `i2d_ASN1_bio_stream`, `BIO_new_CMS`, `BIO_new_PKCS7`, `i2d_CMS_bio_stream` and `i2d_PKCS7_bio_stream`.",
"severity" : [ {
"type" : "CVSS_V3",
"score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H"
} ],
"affected" : [ {
"package" : {
"ecosystem" : "crates.io",
"name" : "openssl-src"
},
"ranges" : [ {
"type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
"events" : [ {
"introduced" : "0"
}, {
"fixed" : "111.25.0"
} ]
} ]
}, {
"package" : {
"ecosystem" : "crates.io",
"name" : "openssl-src"
},
"ranges" : [ {
"type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
"events" : [ {
"introduced" : "300.0.0"
}, {
"fixed" : "300.0.12"
} ]
} ]
} ],
"references" : [ {
"type" : "ADVISORY",
"url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-0215"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=8818064ce3c3c0f1b740a5aaba2a987e75bfbafd"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=9816136fe31d92ace4037d5da5257f763aeeb4eb"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=c3829dd8825c654652201e16f8a0a0c46ee3f344"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://psirt.global.sonicwall.com/vuln-detail/SNWLID-2023-0003"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://rustsec.org/advisories/RUSTSEC-2023-0009.html"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202402-08"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230427-0007"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230427-0009"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240621-0006"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://www.openssl.org/news/secadv/20230207.txt"
} ],
"database_specific" : {
"cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-416" ],
"severity" : "HIGH",
"github_reviewed" : true,
"github_reviewed_at" : "2023-02-08T22:28:34Z",
"nvd_published_at" : "2023-02-08T20:15:00Z"
}
}