ePA 3.x Integration: AES-GCM Nonce Reuse via Frozen VAU Request Counter
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
ePA 3.x Integration implements the authorization workflow and writes Medical Information Objects to Germany's electronic patient record. Prior to 1.3.0, ePA 3.x Integration leaves request_counter unchanged in app/vau/VAUProtokoll.py while constructing VAU messages. The frozen client request counter causes the server side to reuse AES-GCM nonce and key combinations across responses. A network attacker who collects repeated ciphertexts can recover the XOR of plaintexts and use predictable inner HTTP headers and JSON fields to recover sensitive data, including patient health records. Repeated nonces can also enable recovery of the GHASH authentication key through the Joux forbidden attack, allowing forged AES-GCM messages and injection of malicious responses. The response-counter check also fails to maintain last_response_counter, weakening replay and ordering validation. This issue is fixed in version 1.3.0.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| fbeta-GmbH | ePA3-Service-OpenSource | before 1.3.0 | 1.3.0 | Patch available | CNA |
- ePA3-Service-OpenSource Vendorfbeta-GmbH Affected before 1.3.0 Fixed in 1.3.0 Patch available CNA
Remediation
- Fix · CNA ePA3-Service-OpenSource (fbeta-GmbH) Fixed in 1.3.0
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-50577
References
Other 5
- https://github.com/fbeta-GmbH/ePA3-Service-OpenSource/security/advisories/GHSA-vmfm-3f7g-r9qg
- https://github.com/fbeta-GmbH/ePA3-Service-OpenSource/pull/10
- https://github.com/fbeta-GmbH/ePA3-Service-OpenSource/commit/85c4c516088c38b9cf2343f388ad67a6744e9814
- https://github.com/fbeta-GmbH/ePA3-Service-OpenSource/releases/tag/1.3.0
- https://www.machinespirits.de/advisory/df27cd
More fbeta-GmbH vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-37843 ePA 3.x Integration: VAU Server Authentication Bypass via Circular Certificate Trust CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.1
- TI-2026-37299 ePA 3.x Integration: TLS Certificate Verification Universally Disabled CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2026-37297 ePA 3.x Integration: HTTP Header Injection in VAU Inner Requests CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.8
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences