CVE-2023-0466: Certificate policy check not enabled

Published Mar 28, 2023
·
Updated

Certificate policy check not enabled

Other sources

The function X509VERIFYPARAMadd0policy() is documented to implicitly enable the certificate policy check when doing certificate verification. However the implementation of the function does not enable the check which allows certificates with invalid or incorrect policies to pass the certificate verification.

As suddenly enabling the policy check could break existing deployments it was decided to keep the existing behavior of the X509VERIFYPARAMadd0policy() function.

Instead the applications that require OpenSSL to perform certificate policy check need to use X509VERIFYPARAMset1policies() or explicitly enable the policy check by calling X509VERIFYPARAMsetflags() with the X509VFLAGPOLICYCHECK flag argument.

Certificate policy checks are disabled by default in OpenSSL and are not commonly used by applications.

MITRE

Affected Software

10 affected componentsFixes available
debian/openssl<=1.1.1n-0+deb10u3
1.1.1n-0+deb10u61.1.1w-0+deb11u11.1.1n-0+deb11u53.0.11-1~deb12u23.1.4-2
OpenSSL OpenSSL>=1.0.2<1.0.2zh
OpenSSL OpenSSL>=1.1.1<1.1.1u
OpenSSL OpenSSL>=3.0.0<3.0.9
OpenSSL OpenSSL>=3.1.0<3.1.1
Microsoft cbl2 hvloader 1.0.1-5
Microsoft cbl2 openssl 1.1.1k-23
Microsoft cbl2 hvloader 1.0.1-6
Microsoft cm1 openssl 1.1.1k-15
Microsoft cbl2 hvloader 1.0.1-5

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade debian/openssl to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 1.1.1n-0+deb10u6Fixed in 1.1.1w-0+deb11u1Fixed in 1.1.1n-0+deb11u5Fixed in 3.0.11-1~deb12u2Fixed in 3.1.4-2
  2. Configuration

    If an application requires OpenSSL to enforce certificate policy checks, explicitly enable policy checking by calling X509_VERIFY_PARAM_set_flags() with the X509_V_FLAG_POLICY_CHECK flag argument (since X509_VERIFY_PARAM_add0_policy() does not enable the check).

    OpenSSL X509 verification parameters Policy checking enablement via X509_VERIFY_PARAM_set_flags() / X509_V_FLAG_POLICY_CHECK = enabled (set flag X509_V_FLAG_POLICY_CHECK) only for applications that require policy checking
  3. Configuration

    For applications that require certificate policy checks, call X509_VERIFY_PARAM_set1_policies() to specify the acceptable policies, instead of relying on X509_VERIFY_PARAM_add0_policy() to implicitly enable policy checking.

    OpenSSL X509 verification parameters Certificate policies list via X509_VERIFY_PARAM_set1_policies() = set (use application-required policies)

Event History

Mar 28, 2023
CVE Published
via MITRE·02:30 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·02:30 PM
DescriptionWeakness
Mar 29, 2023
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·03:19 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Apr 5, 2023
Data Sourced
via Microsoft·07:00 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via Microsoft·07:00 AM
Affected Software
Updated
via Microsoft·07:00 AM
Affected Software
Updated
via Microsoft·07:00 AM
SeverityAffected Software
Updated
via Microsoft·07:00 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the vulnerability ID of this issue?

The vulnerability ID is CVE-2023-0466.

2

What is the severity rating of CVE-2023-0466?

CVE-2023-0466 has a severity rating of 5.3 (medium).

3

How does CVE-2023-0466 affect OpenSSL?

CVE-2023-0466 affects certain versions of OpenSSL, such as 1.1.1n-0+deb10u6 and 1.1.1n-0+deb11u5.

4

How can I fix CVE-2023-0466?

To fix CVE-2023-0466, you should update OpenSSL to versions 1.1.1n-0+deb10u6, 1.1.1n-0+deb11u5, 3.0.9-1, or 3.0.11-1.

5

What CWE category does CVE-2023-0466 belong to?

CVE-2023-0466 belongs to CWE category 295 (Improper Certificate Validation).

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203