CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-34181NVD status: Analyzed

OpenSSL: Improper Validation of Integrity Check Value

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-34181 is a high-severity improper validation of integrity check value vulnerability in OpenSSL, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.4 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 4.0.1, 3.6.3, 3.5.7 as the first without the flaw, so updating OpenSSL to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.38% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update OpenSSL to 4.0.1 or 3.6.3 or 3.5.7 or 3.4.6, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Read the advisory on openssl-library.org for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
  3. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
OpenSSLOpenSSL4.0.0 up to, but not including, 4.0.1; 3.6.0 up to, but not including, 3.6.3; 3.5.0 up to, but not including, 3.5.7; 3.4.0 up to, but not including, 3.4.64.0.1, 3.6.3, 3.5.7, 3.4.6

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
HighSuccess depends on conditions outside the attacker's control.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
NoneAvailability is not affected.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N. Scored by CISA (ADP).

Official description

Issue Summary: The PKCS#12 file processing fails to perform sufficient input validation for files that use Password-Based Message Authentication Code 1 (PBMAC1) integrity mechanism allowing a certificate and private key forgery. Impact Summary: An attacker impersonating a user can cause a service reading PKCS#12 files to accept forged certificates and private keys with a 1 in 256 probability. If a service accepting PKCS#12 files is using passwords for authenticating the received files, the attacker can create unencrypted PKCS#12 files that use PBMAC1 authentication that specifies an HMAC key of only one byte, allowing them to craft a file that will be accepted with a 1 in 256 probability. That would then cause the service to accept a certificate and private key controlled by the attacker. The FIPS modules are not affected by this issue, as the affected code is outside the OpenSSL FIPS module boundary.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Improper Validation of Integrity Check Value

The product does not validate or incorrectly validates the integrity check values or checksums of a message.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • The protocol specification describes the algorithm used for calculating the checksum. It is then a matter of implementing the calculation and verifying that the calculated checksum and the received checksum match.

More Improper Validation of Integrity Check Value vulnerabilities (CWE-354)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in OpenSSL

All OpenSSL vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Validation of Integrity Check Value vulnerabilities

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