# CVE-2023-33850: IBM GSKit-Crypto information disclosure

> A remote attacker can exploit a timing side-channel in RSA decryption to obtain sensitive information from IBM GSKit-Crypto.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 22 Aug 2023
- **Updated:** 3 Nov 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xxxm-cq2q-5v69

## What is CVE-2023-33850?

CVE-2023-33850 is a high-severity vulnerability in IBM CICS TX Advanced, published on 22 Aug 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

IBM GSKit-Crypto could allow a remote attacker to obtain sensitive information, caused by a timing-based side channel in the RSA Decryption implementation. By sending an overly large number of trial messages for decryption, an attacker could exploit this vulnerability to obtain sensitive information.

Weakness: CWE-203 (Observable Discrepancy)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-33850?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Ibm Cics Tx, Ibm Txseries for Multiplatform.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-33850?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-33850 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-33850 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in IBM CICS TX Advanced

- [CVE-2022-31767](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31767/): Command injection in CICS TX Advanced (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-1329](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-1329/): IBM CICS TX code execution (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2025-1330](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-1330/): IBM CICS TX code execution (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2025-1331](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-1331/): IBM CICS TX code execution (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2024-41746](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-41746/): IBM CICS TX cross-site scripting (high 7.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-33850 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-33850 is a high-severity vulnerability in IBM CICS TX Advanced, published on 22 Aug 2023. 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-2023-33850 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: IBM CICS TX Advanced. 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-2023-33850/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-33850/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-33850
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-33850
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-33850

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-33850/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.