medium
4.3
CWE
787
EPSS
0.044%
Advisory Published
Updated

CVE-2024-9143: Low-level invalid GF(2^m) parameters lead to OOB memory access

First published: Wed Oct 16 2024(Updated: )

Issue summary: Use of the low-level GF(2^m) elliptic curve APIs with untrusted explicit values for the field polynomial can lead to out-of-bounds memory reads or writes. Impact summary: Out of bound memory writes can lead to an application crash or even a possibility of a remote code execution, however, in all the protocols involving Elliptic Curve Cryptography that we're aware of, either only "named curves" are supported, or, if explicit curve parameters are supported, they specify an X9.62 encoding of binary (GF(2^m)) curves that can't represent problematic input values. Thus the likelihood of existence of a vulnerable application is low. In particular, the X9.62 encoding is used for ECC keys in X.509 certificates, so problematic inputs cannot occur in the context of processing X.509 certificates. Any problematic use-cases would have to be using an "exotic" curve encoding. The affected APIs include: EC_GROUP_new_curve_GF2m(), EC_GROUP_new_from_params(), and various supporting BN_GF2m_*() functions. Applications working with "exotic" explicit binary (GF(2^m)) curve parameters, that make it possible to represent invalid field polynomials with a zero constant term, via the above or similar APIs, may terminate abruptly as a result of reading or writing outside of array bounds. Remote code execution cannot easily be ruled out. The FIPS modules in 3.3, 3.2, 3.1 and 3.0 are not affected by this issue.

Credit: openssl-security@openssl.org

Affected SoftwareAffected VersionHow to fix
OpenSSL libcrypto
debian/openssl<=1.1.1w-0+deb11u1<=3.0.14-1~deb12u2
1.1.1w-0+deb11u2
3.0.15-1~deb12u1
3.4.1-1

Never miss a vulnerability like this again

Sign up to SecAlerts for real-time vulnerability data matched to your software, aggregated from hundreds of sources.

Read MoreStart Free Trial

Reference Links

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the severity of CVE-2024-9143?

    CVE-2024-9143 is considered a high severity vulnerability due to its potential for causing out-of-bounds memory writes that can lead to application crashes.

  • How do I fix CVE-2024-9143?

    To fix CVE-2024-9143, ensure that you use the updated version of OpenSSL that addresses this vulnerability.

  • What systems are affected by CVE-2024-9143?

    CVE-2024-9143 affects OpenSSL specifically in its implementation of low-level GF(2^m) elliptic curve APIs.

  • What are the risks of CVE-2024-9143?

    The risks associated with CVE-2024-9143 include possible application crashes and remote code execution due to out-of-bounds memory operations.

  • Is CVE-2024-9143 under active exploitation?

    As of now, there are no reported instances of CVE-2024-9143 being actively exploited in the wild, but it is advisable to patch it promptly.

Company

Resources

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.
© 2025 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203