# What is CVE-2015-8960?

> CVE-2015-8960 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 8.1) in Transport Layer Security from Ietf, published on 21 September 2016. It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 1.9%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix.

Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/what-is/cve-2015-8960

## At a glance

- **Verdict:** Plan it in. No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle.
- **Precursor Intelligence risk score:** 51 out of 100 (Medium); action: Plan remediation. Kept up to date as the evidence changes.
- **Severity:** High (CVSS 8.1 out of 10)
- **Known to be exploited:** No, not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today
- **Chance of use in the next 30 days:** 1.9% (latest exploit-likelihood forecast)
- **Published:** 21 September 2016
- **Record last updated:** 12 April 2025
- **Main product:** Transport Layer Security from Ietf
- **Affected products:** 18

## What is CVE-2015-8960? In plain terms

It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline.

### The official description

The TLS protocol 1.2 and earlier supports the rsa_fixed_dh, dss_fixed_dh, rsa_fixed_ecdh, and ecdsa_fixed_ecdh values for ClientCertificateType but does not directly document the ability to compute the master secret in certain situations with a client secret key and server public key but not a server secret key, which makes it easier for man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof TLS servers by leveraging knowledge of the secret key for an arbitrary installed client X.509 certificate, aka the "Key Compromise Impersonation (KCI)" issue.

### What kind of flaw is it?

- CWE-295: Improper Certificate Validation

### How an attack on it works

- Where an attacker can be: Anywhere on the internet
- How hard it is to pull off: Hard: conditions must line up
- Login needed first: No login needed
- Does someone have to click: No, nobody has to do anything
- What an attacker gets: Can read data, change data and take it offline

Severity vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`

## Is CVE-2015-8960 being exploited? Not that we know of

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 1.9%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

Exploit likelihood over the last 7 days: 1.9%, 1.9%, 1.9%, 1.9%, 1.9%, 1.9%, 1.9%.

### Timeline

- 21 September 2016: Published
- 12 April 2025: Record last updated

### How Precursor Intelligence ranks it

CVE-2015-8960 scores **51 out of 100 (Medium)**, with the action "Plan remediation".

Every published flaw gets a risk score from 0 to 100, kept up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, from the one that counts most to the ones that count less:

- Evidence it is being exploited: biggest factor
- How severe it is: strong factor
- How widely exposed it is: smaller factor
- Threat activity around it: smaller factor

85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score. When this flaw matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it.

## Who is affected by CVE-2015-8960?

The published record lists 18 products.

- [Transport Layer Security](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/ietf/transport_layer_security) by [Ietf](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/ietf) (Application): up to 1.2
- [Chrome](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/google/chrome) by [Google](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/google) (Application): version not specified
- [Clustered Data Ontap Antivirus Connector](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/clustered_data_ontap_antivirus_connector) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Application): version not specified
- [Data Ontap Edge](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/data_ontap_edge) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Application): version not specified
- [Firefox](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/mozilla/firefox) by [Mozilla](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/mozilla) (Application): version not specified
- [Host Agent](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/host_agent) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Application): version not specified
- [Internet Explorer](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/microsoft/internet_explorer) by [Microsoft](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/microsoft) (Application): version not specified
- [Oncommand Shift](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/oncommand_shift) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Application): version not specified
- [Opera Browser](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/opera/opera_browser) by [Opera](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/opera) (Application): version not specified
- [Plug-in for Symantec Netbackup](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/plug-in_for_symantec_netbackup) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Application): version not specified
- [Safari](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/apple/safari) by [Apple](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/apple) (Application): version not specified
- [Smi-S Provider](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/smi-s_provider) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Application): version not specified
- [Snap Creator Framework](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/snap_creator_framework) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Application): version not specified
- [Snapdrive](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/snapdrive) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Application): version not specified
- [Snapmanager](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/snapmanager) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Application): version not specified
- [Snapprotect](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/snapprotect) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Application): version not specified
- Solidfire & Hci Management Node by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Application): version not specified
- [System Setup](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/system_setup) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Application): version not specified

## How do I fix CVE-2015-8960?

1. **Check whether you run it.** Compare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list.
2. **Apply the vendor’s fix.** Install the update named in the vendor’s advisory. We’ve put the advisory first in the list.
3. **If you can’t patch today.** Follow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in.
4. **Keep an eye on it.** Track the product and we tell you as soon as we spot this flaw on the list of exploited flaws, or a jump in its exploit likelihood.

### References

- [usenix.org](https://www.usenix.org/system/files/conference/woot15/woot15-paper-hlauschek.pdf) (Exploit, Mitigation, Technical description)
- [twitter.com](http://twitter.com/matthew_d_green/statuses/630908726950674433) (Press/media coverage, Technical description, Third-party advisory)
- [openwall.com](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/09/20/4) (Mailing list, Technical description, Third-party advisory)
- [securityfocus.com](http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/93071) (Broken link, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database)
- [kcitls.org](https://kcitls.org) (Exploit, Technical description)
- [security.netapp.com](https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20180626-0002/) (Third-party advisory)

## Questions

### What is CVE-2015-8960?

CVE-2015-8960 is a high-severity flaw in Transport Layer Security from Ietf, published on 21 September 2016. It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline.

### How serious is CVE-2015-8960?

It scores 8.1 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is high. Our risk score for CVE-2015-8960 is 51 out of 100, which is Medium. Its action is "Plan remediation". No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle.

### Is CVE-2015-8960 being exploited?

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 1.9%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

### Which versions does CVE-2015-8960 affect?

For Transport Layer Security from Ietf: up to 1.2. The record lists 18 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page.

### How do I fix CVE-2015-8960?

Install the update the vendor names in its advisory, linked first under "How do I fix" on this page. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet.

## Does CVE-2015-8960 affect you?

Precursor Intelligence keeps checking for you:

- **Tell us what you run.** Pick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website.
- **We match it to every flaw.** Over 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list.
- **Ranked by real-world risk.** Every flaw gets a 0 to 100 risk score, kept up to date, led by evidence criminals are using it.
- **Told as soon as we know.** An alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools.

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