# What is CVE-2023-0215?

> CVE-2023-0215 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.5) in OpenSSL, published on 8 February 2023. 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 5.0%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix.

Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/what-is/cve-2023-0215

## 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:** 49 out of 100 (Medium); action: Plan remediation. Kept up to date as the evidence changes.
- **Severity:** High (CVSS 7.5 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:** 5.0% (latest exploit-likelihood forecast)
- **Published:** 8 February 2023
- **Record last updated:** 4 November 2025
- **Main product:** OpenSSL
- **Affected products:** 2

## What is CVE-2023-0215? 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 take it offline.

### The official description

The public API function BIO_new_NDEF is a helper function used for streaming
ASN.1 data via a BIO. It is primarily used internally to OpenSSL to support the
SMIME, CMS and PKCS7 streaming capabilities, but may also be called directly by
end user applications.

The function receives a BIO from the caller, prepends a new BIO_f_asn1 filter
BIO onto the front of it to form a BIO chain, and then returns the new head of
the BIO chain to the caller. Under certain conditions, for example if a CMS
recipient public key is invalid, the new filter BIO is freed and the function
returns a NULL result indicating a failure. However, in this case, the BIO chain
is not properly cleaned up and the BIO passed by the caller still retains
internal pointers to the previously freed filter BIO. If the caller then goes on
to call BIO_pop() on the BIO then a use-after-free will occur. This will most
likely result in a crash.

This scenario occurs directly in the internal function B64_write_ASN1() which
may cause BIO_new_NDEF() to be called and will subsequently call BIO_pop() on
the BIO. This internal function is in turn called by the public API functions
PEM_write_bio_ASN1_stream, PEM_write_bio_CMS_stream, PEM_write_bio_PKCS7_stream,
SMIME_write_ASN1, SMIME_write_CMS and SMIME_write_PKCS7.

Other public API functions that may be impacted by this include
i2d_ASN1_bio_stream, BIO_new_CMS, BIO_new_PKCS7, i2d_CMS_bio_stream and
i2d_PKCS7_bio_stream.

The OpenSSL cms and smime command line applications are similarly affected.

### What kind of flaw is it?

- CWE-416: Use After Free

### How an attack on it works

- Where an attacker can be: Anywhere on the internet
- How hard it is to pull off: Easy: no special conditions
- Login needed first: No login needed
- Does someone have to click: No, nobody has to do anything
- What an attacker gets: Can take it offline

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

## Is CVE-2023-0215 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 5.0%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

Exploit likelihood over the last 7 days: 4.5%, 4.5%, 4.5%, 4.5%, 5.0%, 5.0%, 5.0%.

### Timeline

- 8 February 2023: Published
- 4 November 2025: Record last updated
- 19 November 2025: Exploit likelihood jumped
- 22 November 2025: Exploit likelihood fell

### How Precursor Intelligence ranks it

CVE-2023-0215 scores **49 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-2023-0215?

The published record lists 2 products. Versions are as published: "1.0.2 to before 1.0.2zg" means from 1.0.2 up to, but not including, 1.0.2zg.

- [OpenSSL](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/openssl/openssl) by [OpenSSL](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/openssl) (Application): 1.0.2 to before 1.0.2zg, 1.1.1 to before 1.1.1t, 3.0.0 to before 3.0.8
- [Stormshield Management Center](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/stormshield/stormshield_management_center) by [Stormshield](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/stormshield) (Application): before 3.3.3

## How do I fix CVE-2023-0215?

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 advisories and patch notes 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

- [git.openssl.org](https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=8818064ce3c3c0f1b740a5aaba2a987e75bfbafd) (Patch, Vendor advisory)
- [git.openssl.org](https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=9816136fe31d92ace4037d5da5257f763aeeb4eb) (Patch, Vendor advisory)
- [git.openssl.org](https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=c3829dd8825c654652201e16f8a0a0c46ee3f344) (Patch, Vendor advisory)
- [openssl.org](https://www.openssl.org/news/secadv/20230207.txt) (Vendor advisory)
- [security.gentoo.org](https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202402-08)
- [security.netapp.com](https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230427-0007/) (Third-party advisory)
- [security.netapp.com](https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230427-0009/) (Third-party advisory)
- [security.netapp.com](https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240621-0006/)
- [psirt.global.sonicwall.com](https://psirt.global.sonicwall.com/vuln-detail/SNWLID-2023-0003)

## Questions

### What is CVE-2023-0215?

CVE-2023-0215 is a high-severity flaw in OpenSSL, published on 8 February 2023. It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can take it offline.

### How serious is CVE-2023-0215?

It scores 7.5 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is high. Our risk score for CVE-2023-0215 is 49 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-2023-0215 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 5.0%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

### Which versions does CVE-2023-0215 affect?

For OpenSSL: 1.0.2 to before 1.0.2zg, 1.1.1 to before 1.1.1t, 3.0.0 to before 3.0.8. The record lists 2 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page.

### How do I fix CVE-2023-0215?

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-2023-0215 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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