CVE-2023-6129 — POLY1305 MAC implementation corrupts vector registers on PowerPC
Issue summary: The POLY1305 MAC (message authentication code) implementation contains a bug that might corrupt the internal state of applications running on PowerPC CPU based platforms if the CPU provides vector instructions. Impact summary: If an attacker can influence whether the POLY1305 MAC algorithm is used, the application state might be corrupted with various application dependent consequences. The POLY1305 MAC (message authentication code) implementation in OpenSSL for PowerPC CPUs restores the contents of vector registers in a different order than they are saved. Thus the contents of some of these vector registers are corrupted when returning to the caller. The vulnerable code is used only on newer PowerPC processors supporting the PowerISA 2.07 instructions. The consequences of this kind of internal application state corruption can be various - from no consequences, if the calling application does not depend on the contents of non-volatile XMM registers at all, to the worst consequences, where the attacker could get complete control of the application process. However unless the compiler uses the vector registers for storing pointers, the most likely consequence, if any, would be an incorrect result of some application dependent calculations or a crash leading to a denial of service. The POLY1305 MAC algorithm is most frequently used as part of the CHACHA20-POLY1305 AEAD (authenticated encryption with associated data) algorithm. The most common usage of this AEAD cipher is with TLS protocol versions 1.2 and 1.3. If this cipher is enabled on the server a malicious client can influence whether this AEAD cipher is used. This implies that TLS server applications using OpenSSL can be potentially impacted. However we are currently not aware of any concrete application that would be affected by this issue therefore we consider this a Low severity security issue.
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 2.3% (30-day exploitation probability)+12
- Technical severity (medium)+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.
- Documented patch — github.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — github.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — github.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
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 (Openssl Openssl).
- 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.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | 2.2 | 4.2 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 6.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | 2.2 | 4.2 | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 6.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 6.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | — | — | CISA-ADP via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
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).
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · openssl/openssl
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · openssl/openssl
- CVSS changed · 6.5
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- 2024
- 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
20 on the record
- www.openssl.org/news/secadv/20240109.txt
- github.com/openssl/openssl/commit/5b139f95c9a47a55a0c54100f3837b1eee942b04
- github.com/openssl/openssl/commit/f3fc5808fe9ff74042d639839610d03b8fdcc015
- github.com/openssl/openssl/commit/050d26383d4e264966fb83428e72d5d48f402d35
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-6129
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240426-0013/
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-265688.html
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240216-0009
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240426-0013
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/03/11/1
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/01/09/1
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-915275.html
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240426-0008
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240503-0011/
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-rj8q-prqp-jwfg
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240426-0008/
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-331112.html
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-769027.html
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240503-0011
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240216-0009/
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- High CVE-2026-84784 QUIC: Unbounded RETIRE_CONNECTION_ID Backlog 16d
- High CVE-2026-84782 DTLS Retransmits Handshake Messages From a Stale Buffer Offset 16d
- High CVE-2026-84783 Use-After-Free in X.509 Extension Cache Under Concurrent Use 16d
- Low CVE-2026-77696 Timing Side-Channel in SM2 Signature Generation 16d
- Medium CVE-2026-75805 NULL Pointer Dereference in CMP Client Revocation Response Handling 16d
- Medium CVE-2026-75806 Unauthenticated and Undersized DTLS 1.2 AEAD Record Causes DoS 16d
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-2023-6129 is "POLY1305 MAC implementation corrupts vector registers on PowerPC", rated Medium. It affects Openssl (Openssl); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 6.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 2.32% 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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