CVE-2022-3996

Name: CVE-2022-3996
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2022-12-13T16:15:22.007+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

HIGHCVSS 7.5/10EPSS 1.23%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2022-3996 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7.5/10 on the CVSS scale. If an X.509 certificate contains a malformed policy constraint and policy processing is enabled, then a write lock will be taken twice recursively. On some operating systems (most widely: Windows) this results in a denial of service when the affected process hangs. EPSS estimates a 1.23% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

If an X.509 certificate contains a malformed policy constraint and policy processing is enabled, then a write lock will be taken twice recursively. On some operating systems (most widely: Windows) this results in a denial of service when the affected process hangs. Policy processing being enabled on a publicly facing server is not considered to be a common setup. Policy processing is enabled by passing the `-policy' argument to the command line utilities or by calling the `X509_VERIFY_PARAM_set1_policies()' function. Update (31 March 2023): The description of the policy processing enablement was corrected based on CVE-2023-0466.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.5/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

EPSS Probability

1.23%

65.1th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Openssl	Openssl	>= 3.0.0, <= 3.0.7

References

https://github.com/openssl/openssl/commit/7725e7bfe6f2ce8146b6552b44e0d226be7638e7Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://www.openssl.org/news/secadv/20221213.txtVendor Advisory
https://github.com/openssl/openssl/commit/7725e7bfe6f2ce8146b6552b44e0d226be7638e7Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230203-0003/
https://www.openssl.org/news/secadv/20221213.txtVendor Advisory

Timeline

Published: Dec 13, 2022
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-3996?

How severe is CVE-2022-3996?

CVE-2022-3996 has a CVSS score of 7.5/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 1.23% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2022-3996?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2022-3996?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST