# CVE-2020-12243: Denial of service in n/a > An attacker can crash the OpenLDAP server by sending specially crafted LDAP search filters with nested boolean expressions. - **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Not needed - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 28 Apr 2020 - **Updated:** 14 Oct 2026 - **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2020-12243, BIT-openldap-2020-12243, CLEANSTART-2026-WV81935, DEBIAN-CVE-2020-12243, DLA-2199-1, DSA-4666-1, GHSA-v3qx-x9jr-g987, RHSA-2020:4041, SUSE-SU-2020:1193-1, SUSE-SU-2020:1219-1, SUSE-SU-2020:14358-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2020-12243, USN-4352-1, USN-4352-2, openSUSE-SU-2020:0647-1 ## What is CVE-2020-12243? CVE-2020-12243 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in Apple Mac Os X, published on 28 Apr 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. ### Official description In filter.c in slapd in OpenLDAP before 2.4.50, LDAP search filters with nested boolean expressions can result in denial of service (daemon crash). Weakness: CWE-674 (Uncontrolled Recursion) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-12243? 1 open source package ship an affected version, including openldap. It affects 18 products. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `openldap` | Bitnami | All versions | 2.4.50 | | `openldap` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-clients` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-servers` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-servers-sql` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-clients` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-servers` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-servers-sql` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-clients` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-servers` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-servers-sql` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-clients` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-servers` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap-servers-sql` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:2.4.44-22.el7 | | `openldap2` | SUSE:Enterprise Storage 5 | All versions | 2.4.41-18.68.1 | | `openldap2` | SUSE:HPE Helion OpenStack 8 | All versions | 2.4.41-18.68.1 | | `openldap2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15-ESPOS | All versions | 2.4.46-9.28.2 | | `openldap2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15-LTSS | All versions | 2.4.46-9.28.2 | | `openldap2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP1 | All versions | 2.4.46-9.28.2 | | `openldap2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP1 | All versions | 2.4.46-9.28.2 | | `openldap2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Legacy 15 SP1 | All versions | 2.4.46-9.28.2 | | `openldap2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11 SP3 | All versions | 2.4.26-0.74.9.1 | | `openldap2-client` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11 SP3 | All versions | 2.4.26-0.74.9.1 | | `openldap2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4-LTSS | All versions | 2.4.26-0.74.9.1 | | `openldap2-client` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4-LTSS | All versions | 2.4.26-0.74.9.1 | | `openldap2-client-openssl1` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11-SECURITY | All versions | 2.4.26-0.74.9.1 | | `openldap2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2-BCL | All versions | 2.4.41-18.68.1 | | `openldap2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2-LTSS | All versions | 2.4.41-18.68.1 | | `openldap2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3-BCL | All versions | 2.4.41-18.68.1 | Products: Apple Mac Os X, Broadcom Brocade Fabric Operating System, Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Netapp Cloud Backup, Netapp H300e Firmware, Netapp H300s Firmware, Netapp H410c Firmware, Netapp H410s Firmware, Netapp H500e Firmware, Netapp H500s Firmware, Netapp H700e Firmware, Netapp H700s Firmware, Netapp Steelstore Cloud Integrated Storage, Openldap Openldap, Opensuse Leap, Oracle Solaris, Oracle Zfs Storage Appliance Kit. ## How do I fix CVE-2020-12243? Upgrade openldap to 2.4.50 or later. ## Is CVE-2020-12243 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-12243 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Other vulnerabilities in Apple Mac Os X - [CVE-2014-7169](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-7169/): GNU Bourne-Again Shell (Bash) Arbitrary Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2014-6271](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-6271/): GNU Bourne-Again Shell (Bash) Arbitrary Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2012-1823](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-1823/): PHP-CGI Query String Parameter (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2021-30713](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-30713/): Apple macOS Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2019-8526](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-8526/): Apple macOS Use-After-Free (high 7.8, exploited in the wild) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2020-12243 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2020-12243 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in Apple Mac Os X, published on 28 Apr 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-12243 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected packages and fixed versions: - openldap (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 2.4.50 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-2020-12243/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-12243/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-12243 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-12243 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-12243 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-12243/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.