// For flags

CVE-2025-15468

NULL dereference in SSL_CIPHER_find() function on unknown cipher ID

Severity Score

5.9
*CVSS v3.1

Exploit Likelihood

*EPSS

Affected Versions

*CPE

Public Exploits

1
*Multiple Sources

Exploited in Wild

-
*KEV

Decision

Track
*SSVC
Descriptions

Issue summary: If an application using the SSL_CIPHER_find() function in
a QUIC protocol client or server receives an unknown cipher suite from
the peer, a NULL dereference occurs. Impact summary: A NULL pointer dereference leads to abnormal termination of
the running process causing Denial of Service. Some applications call SSL_CIPHER_find() from the client_hello_cb callback
on the cipher ID received from the peer. If this is done with an SSL object
implementing the QUIC protocol, NULL pointer dereference will happen if
the examined cipher ID is unknown or unsupported. As it is not very common to call this function in applications using the QUIC protocol and the worst outcome is Denial of Service, the issue was assessed
as Low severity. The vulnerable code was introduced in the 3.2 version with the addition
of the QUIC protocol support. The FIPS modules in 3.6, 3.5, 3.4 and 3.3 are not affected by this issue,
as the QUIC implementation is outside the OpenSSL FIPS module boundary. OpenSSL 3.6, 3.5, 3.4 and 3.3 are vulnerable to this issue. OpenSSL 3.0, 1.1.1 and 1.0.2 are not affected by this issue.

Issue summary: If an application using the SSL_CIPHER_find() function in a QUIC protocol client or server receives an unknown cipher suite from the peer, a NULL dereference occurs. Impact summary: A NULL pointer dereference leads to abnormal termination of the running process causing Denial of Service. Some applications call SSL_CIPHER_find() from the client_hello_cb callback on the cipher ID received from the peer. If this is done with an SSL object implementing the QUIC protocol, NULL pointer dereference will happen if the examined cipher ID is unknown or unsupported. As it is not very common to call this function in applications using the QUIC protocol and the worst outcome is Denial of Service, the issue was assessed as Low severity. The vulnerable code was introduced in the 3.2 version with the addition of the QUIC protocol support. The FIPS modules in 3.6, 3.5, 3.4 and 3.3 are not affected by this issue, as the QUIC implementation is outside the OpenSSL FIPS module boundary. OpenSSL 3.6, 3.5, 3.4 and 3.3 are vulnerable to this issue. OpenSSL 3.0, 1.1.1 and 1.0.2 are not affected by this issue.

USN-7980-2 fixed vulnerabilities in OpenSSL. This update provides the corresponding updates for CVE-2025-68160 for openssl and openssl1.0, CVE-2025-69418 for openssl on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS and Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, CVE-2025-69419 for openssl on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS and Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, CVE-2025-69420 for openssl on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS and Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, CVE-2025-69421 for openssl and openssl1.0, CVE-2026-22795 for openssl on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS and Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, and CVE-2026-22796 for openssl and openssl1.0.

*Credits: Stanislav Fort (Aisle Research), Stanislav Fort (Aisle Research)
CVSS Scores
Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
High
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
Partial
* Common Vulnerability Scoring System
SSVC
  • Decision:Track
Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Tech. Impact
Partial
* Organization's Worst-case Scenario
Timeline
  • 2026-01-06 CVE Reserved
  • 2026-01-27 CVE Published
  • 2026-01-29 CVE Updated
  • 2026-02-13 First Exploit
  • 2026-05-13 EPSS Updated
  • ---------- Exploited in Wild
  • ---------- KEV Due Date
CWE
  • CWE-476: NULL Pointer Dereference
CAPEC
Affected Vendors, Products, and Versions
Vendor Product Version Other Status
Vendor Product Version Other Status <-- --> Vendor Product Version Other Status
OpenSSL
Search vendor "OpenSSL"
OpenSSL
Search vendor "OpenSSL" for product "OpenSSL"
>= 3.6.0 < 3.6.1
Search vendor "OpenSSL" for product "OpenSSL" and version " >= 3.6.0 < 3.6.1"
en
Affected
OpenSSL
Search vendor "OpenSSL"
OpenSSL
Search vendor "OpenSSL" for product "OpenSSL"
>= 3.5.0 < 3.5.5
Search vendor "OpenSSL" for product "OpenSSL" and version " >= 3.5.0 < 3.5.5"
en
Affected
OpenSSL
Search vendor "OpenSSL"
OpenSSL
Search vendor "OpenSSL" for product "OpenSSL"
>= 3.4.0 < 3.4.4
Search vendor "OpenSSL" for product "OpenSSL" and version " >= 3.4.0 < 3.4.4"
en
Affected
OpenSSL
Search vendor "OpenSSL"
OpenSSL
Search vendor "OpenSSL" for product "OpenSSL"
>= 3.3.0 < 3.3.6
Search vendor "OpenSSL" for product "OpenSSL" and version " >= 3.3.0 < 3.3.6"
en
Affected