GnuTLS before 2.7.6, when the GNUTLS_VERIFY_ALLOW_X509_V1_CA_CRT flag is not enabled…
Priority LOW 30CWE-264Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- — Not recorded in CVSS 2.0
- Attack complexity
- Medium
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Partial · Partial · None
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 3 fixed, 1 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 2.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-264.
Summary
GnuTLS before 2.7.6, when the GNUTLS_VERIFY_ALLOW_X509_V1_CA_CRT flag is not enabled, treats version 1 X.509 certificates as intermediate CAs, which allows remote attackers to bypass intended restrictions by leveraging a X.509 V1 certificate from a trusted CA to issue new certificates, a different vulnerability than CVE-2014-1959.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.01799 78th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD
Fix Partial Red Hat: 1 advisoryRed Hat: 3 fixed, 1 without a fix
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 6
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gnutls:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | up to 2.7.5 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gnutls:2.7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.7.0 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gnutls:2.7.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.7.1 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gnutls:2.7.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.7.2 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gnutls:2.7.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.7.3 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gnutls:2.7.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.7.4 | Vulnerable | GNU |
- cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gnutls:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions up to 2.7.5 Vulnerable ·GNU
- cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gnutls:2.7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.7.0 Vulnerable ·GNU
- cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gnutls:2.7.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.7.1 Vulnerable ·GNU
- cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gnutls:2.7.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.7.2 Vulnerable ·GNU
- cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gnutls:2.7.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.7.3 Vulnerable ·GNU
- cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gnutls:2.7.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.7.4 Vulnerable ·GNU
Remediation
Red Hat 1 advisory
- RHSA-2014:0247 Released 2014-03-03 · Red Hat rating Importantgnutls security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux (v. 5 server) gnutls-1.4.1-14.el5_10, gnutls-1.4.1-14.el5_10.i386, gnutls-1.4.1-14.el5_10.ia64 +9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 5 client) gnutls-1.4.1-14.el5_10, gnutls-1.4.1-14.el5_10.i386, gnutls-utils-1.4.1-14.el5_10 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Workstation (v. 5 client) gnutls-1.4.1-14.el5_10, gnutls-devel-1.4.1-14.el5_10, gnutls-devel-1.4.1-14.el5_10.i386
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux (v. 5 server) | Fixed | RHSA-2014:0247 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 5 client) | Fixed | RHSA-2014:0247 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Workstation (v. 5 client) | Fixed | RHSA-2014:0247 |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2009-5138
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-754r-c6vv-mv5g
References
Other 4
- [oss-security] 20140225 Re: Re: CVE Request - GnuTLS corrects flaw in certificate verification (3.1.x/3.2.x)
- [gnutls-devel] 20090109 Re: gnutls fails to use Verisign CA cert without a Basic Constraint
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1069301
- [oss-security] 20140227 Re: CVE Request - GnuTLS corrects flaw in certificate verification (3.1.x/3.2.x)
More Gnutls vulnerabilities
- TI-2009-03392 The TLS protocol, and the SSL protocol 3.0 and possibly earlier, as used in Microsoft… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-03321 Gnutls: gnutls: policy bypass due to case-sensitive nameconstraints comparison CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.4
- TI-2024-00525 Gnutls: rejects certificate chain with distributed trust CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2023-00345 Observable discrepancy in gnutls CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.4
- TI-2019-02841 Use after free in gnutls CVSS 3.0HIGH 7.5
- TI-2017-03378 Double free vulnerability in the gnutls_x509_ext_import_proxy function in GnuTLS before… CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.8
Sources
- CVE-2009-5138 · CVE Program
- CVE-2009-5138 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-754r-c6vv-mv5g · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2009-5138 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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