DNA View

CVE-2023-5678

Medium
Low Medium High Critical
5.3
CVSS Score
Published: Nov 06, 2023
Last Modified: Dec 02, 2025

Vulnerability Description

Issue summary: Generating excessively long X9.42 DH keys or checking
excessively long X9.42 DH keys or parameters may be very slow.

Impact summary: Applications that use the functions DH_generate_key() to
generate an X9.42 DH key may experience long delays. Likewise, applications
that use DH_check_pub_key(), DH_check_pub_key_ex() or EVP_PKEY_public_check()
to check an X9.42 DH key or X9.42 DH parameters may experience long delays.
Where the key or parameters that are being checked have been obtained from
an untrusted source this may lead to a Denial of Service.

While DH_check() performs all the necessary checks (as of CVE-2023-3817),
DH_check_pub_key() doesn't make any of these checks, and is therefore
vulnerable for excessively large P and Q parameters.

Likewise, while DH_generate_key() performs a check for an excessively large
P, it doesn't check for an excessively large Q.

An application that calls DH_generate_key() or DH_check_pub_key() and
supplies a key or parameters obtained from an untrusted source could be
vulnerable to a Denial of Service attack.

DH_generate_key() and DH_check_pub_key() are also called by a number of
other OpenSSL functions. An application calling any of those other
functions may similarly be affected. The other functions affected by this
are DH_check_pub_key_ex(), EVP_PKEY_public_check(), and EVP_PKEY_generate().

Also vulnerable are the OpenSSL pkey command line application when using the
"-pubcheck" option, as well as the OpenSSL genpkey command line application.

The OpenSSL SSL/TLS implementation is not affected by this issue.

The OpenSSL 3.0 and 3.1 FIPS providers are not affected by this issue.

CVSS Metrics

Common Vulnerability Scoring System

Vector String:

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Attack Vector
N
Attack Complexity
L
Privileges Required
N
User Interaction
N
Scope
U
Confidentiality
N
Integrity
N
Availability
L

Available Security Patches

3 patches available from vendors

View All Patches
Microsoft

2024-Sep-CVE-2023-5678

CVE-2023-5678: None

Severity
Unknown
Released
Oct 11, 2025
Security Update
Microsoft

2023-Nov-CVE-2023-5678

CVE-2023-5678: Excessive time spent in DH check / generation with large Q parameter value

Severity
Unknown
Released
Oct 01, 2025
Security Update
Oracle

CPUJAN2025

Oracle Critical Patch Update Advisory - January 2025

Severity
Critical
Released
Jan 21, 2025
Restart Required
Security Update

References & Resources

Severity Details

5.3
out of 10.0
Medium

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-606

Unchecked Input for Loop Condition

Description
The product does not properly check inputs that are used for loop conditions, potentially leading to a denial of service or other consequences because of excessive looping.
Typical Severity
Medium
Abstraction Level
Base

Key Information

Published Date
November 06, 2023

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