# CVE-2011-4073: Use after free in n/a

> Remote authenticated users can crash the Openswan IKE daemon via a use-after-free vulnerability in cryptographic helper handlers.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.0 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:N/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 Nov 2011
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DSA-2374-1, GHSA-p53h-4vvv-85x4, RHSA-2011:1422

## What is CVE-2011-4073?

CVE-2011-4073 is a medium-severity use after free vulnerability in n/a, published on 17 Nov 2011. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Use-after-free vulnerability in the cryptographic helper handler functionality in Openswan 2.3.0 through 2.6.36 allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (pluto IKE daemon crash) via vectors related to the (1) quick_outI1_continue and (2) quick_outI1 functions.

Weakness: CWE-399

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2011-4073?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `openswan` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | All versions | 0:2.6.21-5.el5_7.6 |
| `openswan-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | All versions | 0:2.6.21-5.el5_7.6 |
| `openswan-doc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | All versions | 0:2.6.21-5.el5_7.6 |
| `openswan` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | All versions | 0:2.6.21-5.el5_7.6 |
| `openswan-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | All versions | 0:2.6.21-5.el5_7.6 |
| `openswan-doc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | All versions | 0:2.6.21-5.el5_7.6 |
| `openswan` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 0:2.6.32-4.el6_1.4 |
| `openswan-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 0:2.6.32-4.el6_1.4 |
| `openswan-doc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 0:2.6.32-4.el6_1.4 |

Products: Xelerance Openswan.

## How do I fix CVE-2011-4073?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2011-4073 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2011-4073 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2018-15836](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-15836/): Security feature bypass in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2013-2053](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2053/): Memory corruption in n/a (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2010-3302](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-3302/): Memory corruption in n/a (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2010-3308](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-3308/): Memory corruption in n/a (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2010-3752](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-3752/): Command injection in n/a (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2011-4073 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2011-4073 is a medium-severity use after free vulnerability in n/a, published on 17 Nov 2011. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2011-4073 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-4073/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-4073/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2011-4073
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-4073
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2011-4073

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-4073/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.