CVE-2026-42768
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Description
A flaw was found in OpenSSL's CMS_decrypt() and PKCS7_decrypt() functions. This vulnerability, a Bleichenbacher-style oracle, could allow a remote attacker to decrypt or sign messages using the victim's private RSA key. Exploitation requires the attacker to provide specially crafted CMS or S/MIME messages and observe the application's error codes or decryption output. While the attack is technically possible, the specific conditions required make it unlikely to be exploited in typical deployments.
Statement
This Low severity vulnerability in OpenSSL's CMS_decrypt() and PKCS7_decrypt() functions exposes a Bleichenbacher-style oracle. Exploitation requires an attacker to control input CMS/S/MIME messages and observe decryption errors or output, a scenario deemed unlikely in most Red Hat product deployments. The attack could allow decryption or signing of messages with a victim's private RSA key.
Mitigation
To mitigate this vulnerability, applications utilizing CMS_decrypt() or PKCS7_decrypt() should ensure a recipient certificate is always provided to identify the specific RecipientInfo for decryption. This practice helps prevent the Bleichenbacher-style oracle attack by ensuring proper key identification.
Additional Information
- This content is not included.Bugzilla 2481892: openssl: Multi-RecipientInfo Bleichenbacher Oracle in CMS_decrypt() and PKCS7_decrypt()
- Content from cwe.mitre.org is not included.CWE-205: Observable Behavioral Discrepancy
- FAQ: Frequently asked questions about CVE-2026-42768
- Offline Security Data data is available for integration with other systems. See Offline Security Data API to get started.
External References
Content from www.cve.org is not included.https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-42768
Content from nvd.nist.gov is not included.https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-42768
Affected Packages and Issued Red Hat Security Errata
| Products / Services | Components | State | Errata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | edk2 | Fix deferred | |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | shim | Fix deferred | |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | shim-unsigned-aarch64 | Fix deferred | |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | shim-unsigned-x64 | Fix deferred | |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | openssl | Fixed | RHSA-2026:25237 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | openssl | Fix deferred | |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | ovmf | Fix deferred | |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | compat-openssl10 | Fix deferred | |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | edk2 | Fix deferred | |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | mingw-openssl | Fix deferred | |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | openssl | Fix deferred | |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | shim | Fix deferred | |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | shim-unsigned-x64 | Fix deferred | |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | compat-openssl11 | Fix deferred | |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | edk2 | Fix deferred | |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | shim | Fix deferred | |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | shim-unsigned-aarch64 | Fix deferred | |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | shim-unsigned-x64 | Fix deferred | |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | openssl | Fixed | RHSA-2026:25239 |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | rhcos | Fix deferred | |
| Red Hat Update Infrastructure 5 | rhui5/cds-rhel9 | Fixed | RHSA-2026:26319 |
| Red Hat Update Infrastructure 5 | rhui5/haproxy-rhel9 | Fixed | RHSA-2026:26319 |
| Red Hat Update Infrastructure 5 | rhui5/installer-rhel9 | Fixed | RHSA-2026:26319 |
| Red Hat Update Infrastructure 5 | rhui5/rhua-rhel9 | Fixed | RHSA-2026:26319 |
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authorities (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications ).
| CVSS v3 Score Breakdown | Red Hat | NVD |
|---|---|---|
| CVSS v3 Base Score | 6.3 | |
| Attack Vector | Local | |
| Attack Complexity | High | |
| Privileges Required | Low | |
| User Interaction | None | |
| Scope | Unchanged | |
| Confidentiality Impact | High | |
| Integrity Impact | High | |
| Availability Impact | None |
CVSS v3 Vector
Red Hat CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Red Hat's CVSS v3 score or Impact different from other vendors?
For more information, see https://access.redhat.com/solutions/762393.
My product is listed as "Under investigation" or "Affected", when will Red Hat release a fix for this vulnerability?
- "Under investigation" doesn't necessarily mean that the product is affected by this vulnerability. It only means that our Analysis Team is still working on determining whether the product is affected and how it is affected.
- "Affected" means that our Analysis Team has determined that this product is affected by this vulnerability and might release a fix to address this in the near future.
What can I do if my product is listed as "Will not fix"?
Available options depend mostly on the Impact of the vulnerability and the current Life Cycle phase of your product. Overall, you have the following options:
- Upgrade to a supported product version that includes a fix for this vulnerability (recommended).
- Apply a mitigation (if one exists).
- Open a This content is not included.support case to request a prioritization of releasing a fix for this vulnerability.
What can I do if my product is listed as "Fix deferred"?
Available options depend mostly on the Impact of the vulnerability and the current Life Cycle phase of your product. Overall, you have the following options:
- Apply a mitigation (if one exists).
- Open a This content is not included.support case to request a prioritization of releasing a fix for this vulnerability.
- Red Hat Engineering focuses on addressing high-priority issues based on their complexity or limited lifecycle support. Therefore, lower-priority issues will not receive immediate fixes.
What is a mitigation?
I have a Red Hat product but it is not in the above list, is it affected?
Why is my security scanner reporting my product as vulnerable to this vulnerability even though my product version is fixed or not affected?
My product is listed as "Out of Support Scope". What does this mean?
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