CVE-2023-0215: Openssl src Openssl-src Vulnerable To Use-after-free Following Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-r7jw-wp68-3xch
CVSS 7.5
CWE-416
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-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

CVE Identifier CVE-2023-0215
GHSA Identifier GHSA-r7jw-wp68-3xch
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-416: Use After Free
Affected Product Openssl src
Package Ecosystem crates.io
Published Date
Last Updated

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).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability High (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.

openssl-src fixed: 111.25.0
Upgrade openssl-src to 111.25.0
openssl-src fixed: 300.0.12
Upgrade openssl-src to 300.0.12
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

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

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. The 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. This 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`. Other 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`.

CVE-2023-0215 Affected Openssl src Versions

2 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
111.25.0300.0.12
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?
CVE-2023-0215 is a security vulnerability in Openssl src involving openssl-src vulnerable to Use-after-free following `BIO_new_NDEF` under CWE-416: Use After Free.
Which Openssl src versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 111.25.0, 300.0.12 across affected packages: openssl-src.
What version fixes CVE-2023-0215?
Upgrading to 111.25.0, 300.0.12 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is openssl-src affected?
Yes, openssl-src is affected in releases prior to 111.25.0, 300.0.12. Upgrade your dependency to 111.25.0, 300.0.12 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2023-0215?
CVE-2023-0215 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2023-0215?
CVE-2023-0215 is classified under CWE-416: Use After Free (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.).
How can I check crates.io dependencies for CVE-2023-0215?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for openssl-src'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
{
  "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"
  }
}