mod_gnutls missing key purpose check in client certificate verification
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
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
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| airtower-luna | mod_gnutls | before 0.13.0 | 0.13.0 | Patch available | CNA |
- mod_gnutls Vendorairtower-luna Affected before 0.13.0 Fixed in 0.13.0 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:mod_gnutls_project:mod_gnutls:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 0.13.0 | Vulnerable | airtower-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
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-33308
References
More airtower-luna Mod Gnutls vulnerabilities
- 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
- CVE-2026-33308 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-33308 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- CVE-2026-33308 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences