# CVE-2026-17510: Null dereference in Crypt::OpenSSL::PKCS12

> A NULL pointer dereference in Crypt::OpenSSL::PKCS12 allows attackers to crash applications processing malicious PKCS#12 files.

- **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:** 9 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 12 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-17510, GHSA-h64x-hp84-8636, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-17510

## What is CVE-2026-17510?

CVE-2026-17510 is a high-severity vulnerability in JONASBN Crypt::OpenSSL::PKCS12, published on 9 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Crypt::OpenSSL::PKCS12 versions before 1.98 for Perl allow a NULL pointer dereference in print_attribute via a zero length BMPSTRING attribute.

print_attribute() sizes the destination buffer for a BMPSTRING attribute from its declared byte length with `Renew(*attribute, length, char)`. A zero length attribute makes that a zero size reallocation, which Perl implements as a free returning NULL, so the buffer pointer becomes NULL, the following `strncpy` copies nothing, and the caller dereferences NULL in the `strlen()` it passes to `newSVpvn()`. A zero length BMPSTRING is even length, so the ASN.1 decoder accepts it and the value reaches this code. The UTF8STRING, OCTET STRING and BIT STRING arms size on `length + 1` or `length * 4 + 1` and are unaffected.

Any caller that passes an untrusted PKCS#12 file to info_as_hash() can crash the process. info() prints attribute values directly without sizing a buffer and is unaffected.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-17510?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-17510?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-17510 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-17510 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-17510 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-17510 is a high-severity vulnerability in JONASBN Crypt::OpenSSL::PKCS12, published on 9 Aug 2026. 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-2026-17510 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: JONASBN Crypt::OpenSSL::PKCS12. 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-2026-17510/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-17510/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-17510
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-17510
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-17510

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-17510/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.