# CVE-2023-6247: Null dereference in OpenVPN 3 Core Library

> A null pointer dereference in the PKCS#7 parser allows attackers to crash the application, requiring an upgrade to the OpenVPN 3 Core Library.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 20 Feb 2024
- **Updated:** 28 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-7j74-rq7m-gr5m

## What is CVE-2023-6247?

CVE-2023-6247 is a medium-severity vulnerability in OpenVPN 3 Core Library, published on 20 Feb 2024. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The PKCS#7 parser in OpenVPN 3 Core Library versions through 3.8.3 did not properly validate the parsed data, which would result in the application crashing.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-6247?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Openvpn Openvpn 3.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-6247?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-6247 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-6247 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-6247 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-6247 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-6247 is a medium-severity vulnerability in OpenVPN 3 Core Library, published on 20 Feb 2024. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-6247 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: OpenVPN 3 Core Library. 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-2023-6247/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-6247/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-6247
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-6247
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-6247

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-6247/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.