CVE-2022-0778 — Infinite loop in BN_mod_sqrt() reachable when parsing certificates
The BN_mod_sqrt() function, which computes a modular square root, contains a bug that can cause it to loop forever for non-prime moduli. Internally this function is used when parsing certificates that contain elliptic curve public keys in compressed form or explicit elliptic curve parameters with a base point encoded in compressed form. It is possible to trigger the infinite loop by crafting a certificate that has invalid explicit curve parameters. Since certificate parsing happens prior to verification of the certificate signature, any process that parses an externally supplied certificate may thus be subject to a denial of service attack. The infinite loop can also be reached when parsing crafted private keys as they can contain explicit elliptic curve parameters. Thus vulnerable situations include: - TLS clients consuming server certificates - TLS servers consuming client certificates - Hosting providers taking certificates or private keys from customers - Certificate authorities parsing certification requests from subscribers - Anything else which parses ASN.1 elliptic curve parameters Also any other applications that use the BN_mod_sqrt() where the attacker can control the parameter values are vulnerable to this DoS issue. In the OpenSSL 1.0.2 version the public key is not parsed during initial parsing of the certificate which makes it slightly harder to trigger the infinite loop. However any operation which requires the public key from the certificate will trigger the infinite loop. In particular the attacker can use a self-signed certificate to trigger the loop during verification of the certificate signature. This issue affects OpenSSL versions 1.0.2, 1.1.1 and 3.0. It was addressed in the releases of 1.1.1n and 3.0.2 on the 15th March 2022. Fixed in OpenSSL 3.0.2 (Affected 3.0.0,3.0.1). Fixed in OpenSSL 1.1.1n (Affected 1.1.1-1.1.1m). Fixed in OpenSSL 1.0.2zd (Affected 1.0.2-1.0.2zc).
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 73.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+15
- Technical severity (high)+6
- Automatable exploitation (SSVC)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Rust Openssl-src: fixed in version 300.0.5 — github.com (GitHub Security Advisories)
- Rust Openssl-src: fixed in version 111.18.0 — github.com (GitHub Security Advisories)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Debian Debian Linux, Fedoraproject Fedora, Mariadb Mariadb…).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- EPSS ahead of 99% of scored CVEs: prioritize it in the patch queue.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (denial of service), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debian | Debian Linux | version 9.0version 10.0version 11.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Fedoraproject | Fedora | version 36version 34 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Mariadb | Mariadb | ≥ 10.2.0 and < 10.2.42≥ 10.3.0 and < 10.3.33≥ 10.4.0 and < 10.4.23≥ 10.5.0 and < 10.5.14≥ 10.6.0 and < 10.6.6≥ 10.7.0 and < 10.7.2 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Netapp | 500f Firmware | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Netapp | A250 Firmware | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Netapp | Cloud Volumes Ontap Mediator | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Netapp | Clustered Data Ontap | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Netapp | Clustered Data Ontap Antivirus Connector | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Netapp | Santricity Smi-s Provider | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Netapp | Storagegrid | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Nodejs | Node.js | > 17.0.0 and < 17.7.2≥ 16.13.0 and < 16.14.2> 16.0.0 and ≤ 16.12.0≥ 14.15.0 and < 14.19.1> 14.0.0 and ≤ 14.14.0≥ 12.13.0 and < 12.22.11≥ 12.0.0 and ≤ 12.12.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Openssl | Openssl | ≥ 1.1.0 and < 1.1.1n≥ 3.0.0 and < 3.0.2≥ 1.0.2 and < 1.0.2zd | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Openssl | Openssl | version Fixed in OpenSSL 1.0.2zd (Affected 1.0.2-1.0.2zc)version Fixed in OpenSSL 1.1.1n (Affected 1.1.1-1.1.1m)version Fixed in OpenSSL 3.0.2 (Affected 3.0.0,3.0.1) | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Tenable | Nessus | ≥ 10.0.0 and < 10.1.2< 8.15.4 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Rust | Openssl-src | ≥ 300.0.0 and < 300.0.5< 111.18.0 | Vulnerable | GitHub Security Advisories |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.5 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 3.9 | 3.6 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.5 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 3.9 | 3.6 | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.5 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 7.5 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | CISA-ADP via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| 5.0 | CVSS 2.0 | Medium | 10.0 | 2.9 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 73.19%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
- Track CPU/memory spikes and availability drops correlated with request patterns.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · rust/openssl-src
- Affected products added · openssl/openssl
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Affected products added · openssl/openssl, debian/debian linux, netapp/cloud volumes ontap mediator, netapp/clustered data ontap, netapp/clustered
- CVSS changed · 7.5
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- 2022
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
References
49 on the record
- www.openssl.org/news/secadv/20220315.txt
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/202210-02
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-019200.html
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20220429-0005/
- support.apple.com/kb/HT213255
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/323S
- www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2022.html
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/May/35
- www.tenable.com/security/tns-2022-07
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/03/msg00023.html
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/323S
- support.apple.com/kb/HT213256
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-x3mh-jvjw-3xwx
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240621-0006/
- support.apple.com/kb/HT213257
- git.openssl.org/gitweb/
- rustsec.org/advisories/RUSTSEC-2022-0014.html
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-0778
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/May/38
- psirt.global.sonicwall.com/vuln-detail/SNWLID-2022-0002
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20220429-0005
- git.openssl.org/gitweb/
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20220321-0002/
- git.openssl.org/gitweb/
- www.tenable.com/security/tns-2022-08
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-712929.html
- www.tenable.com/security/tns-2022-09
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/GDB3
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/May/33
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-712929.pdf
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240621-0006
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/W6K3
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/GDB3GQ
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/W6K3PR
- git.openssl.org/gitweb/
- www.debian.org/security/2022/dsa-5103
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/323SNN
- www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujul2022.html
- git.openssl.org/gitweb/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/GDB3
- git.openssl.org/gitweb/
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-028723.html
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/03/msg00024.html
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-108696.html
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/W6K3
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20220321-0002
- www.tenable.com/security/tns-2022-06
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/167344/OpenSSL-1.0.2-1.1.1-3.0-BN_mod_sqrt-Infinite-Loop.html
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- High CVE-2026-103946 SQL Injection 1d
- High CVE-2026-107823 MariaDB: privilege escalation via incorrect view frm parsing 6d
- Medium CVE-2026-107822 MariaDB: database privilege escalation via user / role name collision in the acl cache 6d
- High CVE-2026-107821 MariaDB: insufficient validation of binary frm data when opening a table 6d
- High CVE-2026-107818 MariaDB: environment injection via wsrep bootstrap in the mariadb.service file 6d
- Medium CVE-2026-107816 MariaDB: `qc_info` plugin can do OOB reads if query contains \0 6d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2022-0778 is "Infinite loop in BN_mod_sqrt() reachable when parsing certificates", rated High. It affects Debian Linux (Debian); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 73.19% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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