CVE-2023-3817 | Excessive time spent checking DH q parameter value

Issue summary: Checking excessively long DH keys or parameters may be very slow. Impact summary: Applications that use the functions DH_check(), DH_check_ex() or EVP_PKEY_param_check() to check a DH key or 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. The function DH_check() performs various checks on DH parameters. After fixing CVE-2023-3446 it was discovered that a large q parameter value can also trigger an overly long computation during some of these checks. A correct q value, if present, cannot be larger than the modulus p parameter, thus it is unnecessary to perform these checks if q is larger than p. An application that calls DH_check() and supplies a key or parameters obtained from an untrusted source could be vulnerable to a Denial of Service attack. The function DH_check() is itself 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_ex() and EVP_PKEY_param_check(). Also vulnerable are the OpenSSL dhparam and pkeyparam command line applications when using the "-check" option. 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.

Published: 2023-07-31 Last update: 2025-05-05 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]

Conclusion & alert: CVE-2023-3817 is rated Moderate Risk (52.7/100): CVSS Medium severity, with medium exploitation likelihood (EPSS 2.58%). Core evidence: EPSS rose +2.39% over the last day, indicating growing attacker interest. Mandatory action: Review affected assets and schedule remediation.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2023-3817

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-06-15 0.19% 2.58% +2.39%
2 2026-06-13 0.34% 0.19% -0.15%
3 2026-06-12 0.34%

Full EPSS history (30 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2023-3817

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
5.3 3.1 MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:N)
Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way.
Integrity (I:N)
Data isn’t meaningfully altered or forged.
Availability (A:L)
Might cause slowdowns, glitches, or partial disruption—not a full brick.
3.9 1.4 [email protected]
5.3 3.1 MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:N)
Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way.
Integrity (I:N)
Data isn’t meaningfully altered or forged.
Availability (A:L)
Might cause slowdowns, glitches, or partial disruption—not a full brick.
3.9 1.4 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2023-3817

OS Trackers for CVE-2023-3817

vendor priority summary link
alpine CVE-2023-3817: 1 source package rows (openssl); 127 state rows across 7 repos (3.17-main, 3.18-main, 3.19-main, 3.20-main, 3.21-main, 3.22-main, edge-main); fixed 7, open 120. https://security.alpinelinux.org/vuln/CVE-2023-3817
debian not yet assigned CVE-2023-3817 not yet assigned priority: Debian including 1 source packages (openssl), 5 status rows across 5 suites (bookworm, bullseye, forky, sid, trixie): resolved 5. https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2023-3817
gentoo normal CVE-2023-3817: 1 GLSA(s) (202402-08), 1 atom(s) (dev-libs/openssl); latest impact normal. https://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?quicksearch=CVE-2023-3817
redhat low https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-3817
suse medium CVE-2023-3817 severity moderate: SUSE including 561 source package names (0.23.0.3.2.527:libopenssl1_1-1.1.1d-150200.11.75.1, 0.23.0.3.2.527:libopenssl1_1-hmac-1.1.1d-150200.11.75.1, …), 1311 product×package rows across 311 product lines (Container bci/bci-base-fips, Container bci/bci-init, … (311 product lines)): Fixed 1065, Known Affected 170, Known Not Affected 76. https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-3817/
ubuntu low CVE-2023-3817 low priority: Ubuntu including 4 source packages (edk2, nodejs, openssl, openssl1.0), 48 status rows across 12 suites (bionic, focal, jammy, lunar, mantic, noble, oracular, plucky, questing, trusty, upstream, xenial): not-affected 18, DNE 10, released 9, ignored 4, needs-triage 4, needed 3. https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2023-3817

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2023-3817

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
openssl openssl >= 3.0.0, < 3.0.10 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl >= 3.1.0, < 3.1.2 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2:beta1:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2:beta2:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2:beta3:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2a cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2a:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2b cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2b:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2c cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2c:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2d cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2d:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2e cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2e:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2f cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2f:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2g cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2g:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2h cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2h:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2i cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2i:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2j cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2j:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2k cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2k:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2l cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2l:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2m cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2m:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2n cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2n:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2o cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2o:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2p cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2p:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2q cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2q:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2r cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2r:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2s cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2s:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2t cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2t:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2u cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2u:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2v cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2v:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2w cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2w:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2x cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2x:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2y cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2y:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2za cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2za:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2zb cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2zb:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2zc cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2zc:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2zd cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2zd:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2ze cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2ze:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2zf cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2zf:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2zg cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2zg:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.0.2zh cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.0.2zh:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1:pre1:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1:pre2:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1:pre3:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1:pre4:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1:pre5:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1:pre6:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1:pre7:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1:pre8:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1:pre9:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1a cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1a:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1b cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1b:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1c cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1c:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1d cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1d:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1e cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1e:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1f cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1f:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1g cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1g:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1h cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1h:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1i cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1i:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1j cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1j:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1k cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1k:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1l cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1l:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1m cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1m:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1n cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1n:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1o cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1o:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1p cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1p:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1q cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1q:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1r cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1r:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1s cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1s:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1t cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1t:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl 1.1.1u cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:1.1.1u:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2023-3817

URL Tags
https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=6a1eb62c29db6cb5eec707f9338aee00f44e26f5 Mailing List Patch
https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=869ad69aadd985c7b8ca6f4e5dd0eb274c9f3644 Broken Link
https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=9002fd07327a91f35ba6c1307e71fa6fd4409b7f Mailing List Patch
https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=91ddeba0f2269b017dc06c46c993a788974b1aa5 Mailing List Patch
https://www.openssl.org/news/secadv/20230731.txt Vendor Advisory
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2023/Jul/43
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/07/31/1
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/09/22/11
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/09/22/9
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/11/06/2
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/08/msg00019.html
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202402-08
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230818-0014/
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20231027-0008/
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240621-0006/
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