CVE-2026-55962: TLS 1.3 post-handshake authentication: server accepts Finished without client Certificate/CertificateVerify

Published Jun 25, 2026
·
Updated

TLS 1.3 post-handshake authentication (PHA) issue where a server could accept a client's Finished message without the client having sent a Certificate and CertificateVerify. The post-handshake-auth exemption that allows an empty/absent peer certificate was only intended for the initial handshake, but it was also being applied while a post-handshake CertificateRequest was still outstanding. The check is now scoped to the initial handshake only: on the server, once a post-handshake CertificateRequest has been sent (certReqCtx is set), a peer certificate and a valid CertificateVerify are required again before the Finished is accepted, with empty-certificate handling following the configured verify mode (FAILIFNOPEERCERT) just as during first-handshake client authentication. Only affects TLS 1.3 servers built with post-handshake authentication support (WOLFSSLPOSTHANDSHAKEAUTH / --enable-postauth, included in --enable-all) that enable WOLFSSLVERIFYPOSTHANDSHAKE and request a client certificate after the handshake via wolfSSLrequestcertificate(). Clients, and servers that do not use post-handshake authentication, are unaffected.

Affected Software

2 affected components
wolfSSL wolfssl
wolfSSL wolfssl>=5.5.4<5.9.2

Event History

Jun 25, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·09:12 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·09:12 PM
DescriptionWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·10:17 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Free Weekly Intel

Don't miss critical vulnerabilities

Join thousands of security professionals who receive our weekly digest of trending CVEs, zero-days, and exploited vulnerabilities.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-55962?

CVE-2026-55962 has a medium severity level with a CVSS score of 6.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-55962?

To fix CVE-2026-55962, apply the available patch from wolfSSL.

3

What software is affected by CVE-2026-55962?

CVE-2026-55962 affects the wolfSSL library.

4

What issue does CVE-2026-55962 describe?

CVE-2026-55962 describes a vulnerability where a server could improperly accept a client's Finished message without the required Certificate and CertificateVerify during TLS 1.3 post-handshake authentication.

5

When was CVE-2026-55962 published?

CVE-2026-55962 was published on June 25, 2026.

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