Vulnerability MediumRUSTSEC-2023-0044 · openssl
RUSTSEC-2023-0044: `openssl` `X509VerifyParamRef::set_host` buffer over-read
Short answerA security vulnerability in the openssl crate: `openssl` `X509VerifyParamRef::set_host` buffer over-read. GitHub rates it Medium. Fixed in 0.10.55: update to a fixed version.
| Crate | openssl |
|---|---|
| Type | Vulnerability (memory-exposure) |
| Affected versions | Before 0.10.55. |
| Fixed in | 0.10.55 |
| Severity | Medium (GitHub rating) |
| Published | 2023-06-20 |
| Last changed | 2025-10-28 |
| Also known as | CVE-2023-53159, GHSA-xcf7-rvmh-g6q4 |
| Affected functions | openssl::x509::verify::X509VerifyParamRef::set_host |
What to do
- See which version you have:
cargo tree -i openssl(it also shows which of your dependencies pulls it in). - Update within your version requirement:
cargo update -p openssl. If the fix is a newer major or minor than your requirement allows, raise it in Cargo.toml (for exampleopenssl = "0.10.55") or update the dependency that pulls it in. - Check again with
cargo audit, or paste your Cargo.lock into our Cargo.toml checker.
Details from the advisory
When this function was passed an empty string, openssl would attempt to call strlen on it, reading arbitrary memory until it reached a NUL byte.
References
- Package: crates.io/crates/openssl
- Advisory: rustsec.org/advisories/RUSTSEC-2023-0044.html
- Report: github.com/sfackler/rust-openssl/issues/1965
From the RustSec Advisory Database (CC0-1.0) via the OSV export, downloaded Oct 24, 2026. Severity score computed from the published CVSS vector.
Other advisories for openssl
- Vulnerability HighRUSTSEC-2016-0001 · 2016-11-05SSL/TLS MitM vulnerability due to insecure defaults
- Vulnerability CriticalRUSTSEC-2018-0010 · 2018-06-01Use after free in CMS Signing
- VulnerabilityRUSTSEC-2023-0022 · 2023-03-24`openssl` `X509NameBuilder::build` returned object is not thread safe
- VulnerabilityRUSTSEC-2023-0023 · 2023-03-24`openssl` `SubjectAlternativeName` and `ExtendedKeyUsage::other` allow arbitrary file read
- VulnerabilityRUSTSEC-2023-0024 · 2023-03-24`openssl` `X509Extension::new` and `X509Extension::new_nid` null pointer dereference
- UnsoundRUSTSEC-2023-0072 · 2023-11-23`openssl` `X509StoreRef::objects` is unsound
- VulnerabilityRUSTSEC-2024-0357 · 2024-07-21`MemBio::get_buf` has undefined behavior with empty buffers
- VulnerabilityRUSTSEC-2025-0004 · 2025-02-02ssl::select_next_proto use after free
Up next
Same crateopenssl: security historyEvery advisory for this crate, and whether it is safe to use today.Read it next →Did this answer your question?