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TI-2026-25719 Aliases CVE-2026-33308

mod_gnutls missing key purpose check in client certificate verification

Priority LOW 29CWE-295Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
High
Impact type
Spoofing
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · None · None
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-295.

Summary

Mod_gnutls is a TLS module for Apache HTTPD based on GnuTLS. Prior to version 0.13.0, code for client certificate verification did not check the key purpose as set in the Extended Key Usage extension. An attacker with access to the private key for a valid certificate issued by a CA trusted for TLS client authentication but designated for a different purpose could have used that certificate to improperly access resources requiring TLS client authentication. Server configurations that do not use client certificates (`GnuTLSClientVerify ignore`, the default) are not affected. The problem has been fixed in version 0.13.0 by rewriting certificate verification to use `gnutls_certificate_verify_peers()`, and requiring key purpose id-kp-clientAuth (also known as `tls_www_client` in GnuTLS) by default if the Extended Key Usage extension is present. The new `GnuTLSClientKeyPurpose` option allows overriding the expected key purpose if needed (please see the manual for details). Behavior for certificates without an Extended Key Usage extension is unchanged. If dedicated (sub-)CAs are used for issuing TLS client certificates only (not for any other purposes) the issue has no practical impact.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00209 11th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed mod_gnutls (airtower-luna): 0.13.0

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
airtower-lunamod_gnutlsbefore 0.13.00.13.0Patch availableCNA
  • mod_gnutls Vendorairtower-luna Affected before 0.13.0 Fixed in 0.13.0 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:mod_gnutls_project:mod_gnutls:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*before 0.13.0Vulnerableairtower-luna
  • cpe:2.3:a:mod_gnutls_project:mod_gnutls:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 0.13.0 Vulnerable ·airtower-luna

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA mod_gnutls (airtower-luna) Fixed in 0.13.0

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat's page for this CVE →

Not affected: 1 product
  • Red Hat

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-33308

References

  • TI-2023-11094 mod_gnutls contains Infinite Loop on request read timeout CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
  • TI-2026-25718 mod_gnutils has stack-based buffer overflow caused by a long client certificate chain CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
  • TI-2009-04890 mod-gnutls does not validate client certificates when "GnuTLSClientVerify require" is set… CVSS 3.0HIGH 7.5

Sources