Out-of-bounds read in nss
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 21 fixed, 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
A flaw was found in the way CHACHA20-POLY1305 was implemented in NSS in versions before 3.55. When using multi-part Chacha20, it could cause out-of-bounds reads. This issue was fixed by explicitly disabling multi-part ChaCha20 (which was not functioning correctly) and strictly enforcing tag length. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to confidentiality and system availability.
Why it matters now
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | nss | nss 3.55 | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- nss Vendor— Affected nss 3.55 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
Remediation
Red Hat 6 advisories
- RHSA-2021:1026 Released 2021-03-30 · Red Hat rating Moderatenss-softokn security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode EUS (v. 7.7) nss-softokn-3.44.0-9.el7_7, nss-softokn-freebl-3.44.0-9.el7_7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional EUS (v. 7.7) nss-softokn-devel-3.44.0-9.el7_7, nss-softokn-freebl-devel-3.44.0-9.el7_7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server EUS (v. 7.7) nss-softokn-3.44.0-9.el7_7, nss-softokn-3.44.0-9.el7_7.ppc, nss-softokn-devel-3.44.0-9.el7_7 +5
- RHSA-2021:0949 Released 2021-03-22 · Red Hat rating LowRed Hat OpenShift Do openshift/odo-init-image 1.1.3 security update
- OpenShift Do 1 openshiftdo/odo-init-image-rhel7
- RHSA-2021:0876 Released 2021-03-16 · Red Hat rating Moderatenss and nss-softokn security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode EUS (v. 7.6) nss-3.36.0-9.el7_6, nss-softokn-3.36.0-7.el7_6, nss-softokn-freebl-3.36.0-7.el7_6 +2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional EUS (v. 7.6) nss-devel-3.36.0-9.el7_6, nss-pkcs11-devel-3.36.0-9.el7_6, nss-softokn-devel-3.36.0-7.el7_6 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server EUS (v. 7.6) nss-3.36.0-9.el7_6, nss-3.36.0-9.el7_6.ppc, nss-devel-3.36.0-9.el7_6 +11
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional EUS (v. 7.6) nss-pkcs11-devel-3.36.0-9.el7_6, nss-pkcs11-devel-3.36.0-9.el7_6.ppc
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server (v. 7) nss-3.36.0-9.el7_6, nss-devel-3.36.0-9.el7_6, nss-softokn-3.36.0-7.el7_6 +5
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server Optional (v. 7) nss-pkcs11-devel-3.36.0-9.el7_6
Show 3 more Red Hat advisories
- RHSA-2021:0758 Released 2021-03-09 · Red Hat rating Moderatenss-softokn security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server AUS (v. 7.4) nss-softokn-3.28.3-10.el7_4, nss-softokn-devel-3.28.3-10.el7_4, nss-softokn-freebl-3.28.3-10.el7_4 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server E4S (v. 7.4) nss-softokn-3.28.3-10.el7_4, nss-softokn-devel-3.28.3-10.el7_4, nss-softokn-freebl-3.28.3-10.el7_4 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server TUS (v. 7.4) nss-softokn-3.28.3-10.el7_4, nss-softokn-devel-3.28.3-10.el7_4, nss-softokn-freebl-3.28.3-10.el7_4 +1
- RHSA-2021:0538 Released 2021-02-16 · Red Hat rating Moderatenss security and bug fix update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 8) nss-3.53.1-17.el8_3, nss-devel-3.53.1-17.el8_3, nss-softokn-3.53.1-17.el8_3 +7
- RHSA-2020:4076 Released 2020-09-29 · Red Hat rating Moderatenss and nspr security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) nspr-4.25.0-2.el7_9, nss-3.53.1-3.el7_9, nss-softokn-3.53.1-6.el7_9 +4
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) nspr-devel-4.25.0-2.el7_9, nss-devel-3.53.1-3.el7_9, nss-pkcs11-devel-3.53.1-3.el7_9 +3
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) nspr-devel-4.25.0-2.el7_9, nss-devel-3.53.1-3.el7_9, nss-pkcs11-devel-3.53.1-3.el7_9 +3
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) nspr-4.25.0-2.el7_9, nspr-4.25.0-2.el7_9.ppc, nspr-devel-4.25.0-2.el7_9 +19
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) nss-pkcs11-devel-3.53.1-3.el7_9, nss-pkcs11-devel-3.53.1-3.el7_9.ppc
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) nspr-4.25.0-2.el7_9, nspr-devel-4.25.0-2.el7_9, nss-3.53.1-3.el7_9 +9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) nss-pkcs11-devel-3.53.1-3.el7_9
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| OpenShift Do 1 | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0949 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0538 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:4076 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:4076 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode EUS (v. 7.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0876 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode EUS (v. 7.7) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:1026 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:4076 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional EUS (v. 7.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0876 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional EUS (v. 7.7) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:1026 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:4076 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server AUS (v. 7.4) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0758 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server E4S (v. 7.4) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0758 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server EUS (v. 7.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0876 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server EUS (v. 7.7) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:1026 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:4076 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional EUS (v. 7.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0876 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server TUS (v. 7.4) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0758 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:4076 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:4076 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0876 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0876 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2020-12403
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-9h25-47mw-52hh
References
More Mozilla Nss 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-2021-19417 Out-of-bounds write in Mozilla NSS CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2016-04582 NULL pointer dereference in Mozilla Network Security Services CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2016-01772 The s_mp_div function in lib/freebl/mpi/mpi.c in Mozilla Network Security Services (NSS)… CVSS 3.0MEDIUM 6.5
- TI-2023-04081 Observable discrepancy in Mozilla NSS CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
Sources
- CVE-2020-12403 · CVE Program
- CVE-2020-12403 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-9h25-47mw-52hh · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2020-12403 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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