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Full vulnerability report · 2020
CVE-2020-11501High confidence

GnuTLS 3.6.x before 3.6.13 uses incorrect cryptography for DTLS

Unknown · Unknown

Official source article: Siemens SSA-398330 ↗. Check the applicable product and release in the original source.

7.4HighCVSS 3.1
Recommended action
Patch only the product branches with a verified fix

High technical severity; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance. Verified remediation exists for at least one product or source, but 5 structured product or package states remain unresolved. Apply remediation only to the exact product branch confirmed by its source.

Fix availability varies by product
R
Operational reassessment

Published severity in operational context

Open reassessment dashboard →
Published severityHighOperational priority:High, unchanged from published severity.unchanged

Evidence used

  • No CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
  • The selected CVSS metric records a network-reachable, unauthenticated path with no user interaction.
  • EPSS is 3.39% for the current model date.

Compensating controls

  • Validate the affected product branch and deploy the verified fixed release.
  • Restrict the affected network interface to trusted sources where business-safe.
  • Monitor vendor guidance and exploitation sources for a material change.

Verification

  1. Confirm that the asset runs Unknown Unknown and falls inside the recorded affected range.
  2. Verify the installed build against the product-specific fixed version after deployment.
  3. Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
  4. Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
Mitigation target: Within 30 daysRemediation target: Within 180 days

This automated reassessment organises public evidence. It does not know asset exposure, business impact or control effectiveness and does not replace CVSS or a human risk decision.

Cross-source reconciliation

Remediation availability differs by product scope

Verified remediation exists for at least one product or source, but 5 structured product or package states remain unresolved. Apply remediation only to the exact product branch confirmed by its source.

Distribution package intelligence

Release-specific package status

Debian findings are scoped to the named distribution, release and source package. An absent finding does not mean a package is unaffected.

4 package states
Repository candidate not checked

A published vendor fix does not prove that a matching update is enabled and installable on a particular asset. Confirm the local package candidate before scheduling remediation.

Distribution releaseSource packageVendor stateFixed versionEvidence
Debian trixietrixie · sourcegnutls28Vendor fix publishedDebian records a fixed source-package version for this release.3.6.13-2Debian Security Tracker ↗Source updated 5 Oct 2026
Debian bookwormbookworm · sourcegnutls28Vendor fix publishedDebian records a fixed source-package version for this release.3.6.13-2Debian Security Tracker ↗Source updated 5 Oct 2026
Debian forkyforky · sourcegnutls28Vendor fix publishedDebian records a fixed source-package version for this release.3.6.13-2Debian Security Tracker ↗Source updated 5 Oct 2026
Debian sidsid · sourcegnutls28Vendor fix publishedDebian records a fixed source-package version for this release.3.6.13-2Debian Security Tracker ↗Source updated 5 Oct 2026
Direct vendor intelligence

Authoritative vendor CSAF and VEX advisories

Structured product status and remediation from the issuing vendor. Product-state explanations are always visible; large lists can be searched or downloaded.

1 current
SSA-398330 · CSAF 2.0 · revision 18 · interimSiemens ProductCERTSSA-398330: Vulnerabilities in the additional GNU/Linux subsystem of the SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518(F)-4 PN/DP MFP >= V3.1.0 and < V3.1.5
5 known affected

The vendor explicitly identifies these products as affected by this CVE.

  • SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4AX00-1AB0)
  • SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4AX00-1AC0)
  • SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4FX00-1AB0)
  • SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4FX00-1AC0)
  • SIPLUS S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6AG1518-4AX00-4AC0)
Summary
GnuTLS 3.6.x before 3.6.13 uses incorrect cryptography for DTLS. The earliest affected version is 3.6.3 (2018-07-16) because of an error in a 2017-10-06 commit. The DTLS client always uses 32 '\0' bytes instead of a random value, and thus contributes no randomness to a DTLS negotiation. This breaks the security guarantees of the DTLS protocol.
Remediation
Update to V3.1.5 or later version
Optional official sources

National CERT insights
?CERT means Computer Emergency Response Team; CSIRT is the closely related term Computer Security Incident Response Team.

Choose official national sources for this report. Each advisory shows its original language. Your selection is remembered on this device and included in shared links.

Official European source

ENISA European Vulnerability Database

Official EUVD identifiers, advisory evidence and known-exploited context. Missing fields are not treated as evidence of low risk.

1 current
ENISA EUVD identifier

EUVD-2020-3854

No EUVD known-exploited evidence

ENISA has published the identifier mapping but no EUVD description has been stored yet.

EUVD state
Present in the current official mapping
Known exploitation
Not present in the current ENISA EUVD known-exploited dataset. This is not proof of no exploitation.
ENISA score
Not supplied in the stored EUVD record
Advisory evidence
No linked advisory details stored yet
Recommended actionPatch only the product branches with a verified fix

High technical severity; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance. Verified remediation exists for at least one product or source, but 5 structured product or package states remain unresolved. Apply remediation only to the exact product branch confirmed by its source.

Fix availability varies by product
01

What, why and how

GnuTLS 3.6.x before 3.6.13 uses incorrect cryptography for DTLS. The earliest affected version is 3.6.3 (2018-07-16) because of an error in a 2017-10-06 commit. The DTLS client always uses 32 '\0' bytes instead of a random value, and thus contributes no randomness to a DTLS negotiation. This breaks the security guarantees of the DTLS protocol.

What

GnuTLS 3.6.x before 3.6.13 uses incorrect cryptography for DTLS. The earliest affected version is 3.6.3 (2018-07-16) because of an error in a 2017-10-06 commit. The DTLS client always uses 32 '\0' bytes instead of a random value, and thus contributes no randomness to a DTLS negotiation. This breaks the security guarantees of the DTLS protocol.

Why

The product uses insufficiently random numbers or values in a security context that depends on unpredictable numbers.

How

An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.

What

GnuTLS 3.6.x before 3.6.13 uses incorrect cryptography for DTLS. The earliest affected version is 3.6.3 (2018-07-16) because of an error in a 2017-10-06 commit. The DTLS client always uses 32 '\0' bytes instead of a random value, and thus contributes no randomness to a DTLS negotiation. This breaks the security guarantees of the DTLS protocol.

Why

The product uses insufficiently random numbers or values in a security context that depends on unpredictable numbers.

How

An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.

02

Exploit reality and attack path

CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.

Observed exploitation
?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.
No confirmed evidence

No CISA KEV match was present at the last successful refresh. This means no confirmation from that source, not proof of no exploitation.

Public PoC / exploit material
?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.
None recorded

No exploit-tagged reference or CISA SSVC proof-of-concept state is currently recorded. Research may still exist outside the structured feeds.

Likely attack path
a network path → Use of Insufficiently Random Values → cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor
Attack surface
Network
Privileges required
None: unauthenticated exploitation is possible
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
High: exploitation depends on specific conditions
Security boundary
Unchanged: impact remains within the vulnerable component's security authority
Weakness
?CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness.
CWE-330 ↗

CWE-330: Use of Insufficiently Random Values. The product uses insufficiently random numbers or values in a security context that depends on unpredictable numbers.

CVSS vector
?CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

Common Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.

AVNetworkAttack vector: The vulnerable component can be reached over a network.ACHighAttack complexity: Successful exploitation depends on specific conditions outside the attacker's direct control.PRNonePrivileges required: The attacker does not need an account or existing privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.SUnchangedScope: The security impact remains within the vulnerable component's authority.CHighConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.IHighIntegrity impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.ANoneAvailability impact: No direct loss is represented by this metric.
Post-exploitation / living off the land
No specific living-off-the-land technique is confirmed in the structured sources. Monitor normal administration tools for activity inconsistent with the affected service's baseline.
NetworkUnauthenticatedCWE-330
A

Official authority intelligence

Only matched European and national findings are included. Language selectors and unavailable sources are omitted.

Cyber Security Agency of Singapore · English · CSA-SB-20200408Security Bulletin 08 Apr 2020

The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore included this CVE in its official Security Bulletin 08 Apr 2020, published on 8 April 2020. Open the linked bulletin for the product, severity and reference information published in that issue.

Official advisory ↗
CERT-FR · French · CERTFR-2023-AVI-1015Multiples vulnérabilités dans les produits Siemens

VERecord?id=CVE-2019-9936 Référence CVE CVE-2019-9937 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-9937 Référence CVE CVE-2019-9947 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-9947 Référence CVE CVE-2019-9948 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-9948 Référence CVE CVE-2020-10029 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-10029 Référence CVE CVE-2020-10531 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-10531 Référence CVE CVE-2020-10543 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-10543 Référence CVE CVE-2020-10735 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-10735 Référence CVE CVE-2020-10878 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-10878 Référence CVE CVE-2020-11501 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-11501 Référence CVE CVE-2020-11655 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-11655 Référence CVE CVE-2020-11656 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-11656 Référence CVE CVE-2020-12062 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-12062 Référence CVE CVE-2020-12243 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-12243 Référence CVE CVE-2020-12723 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-12723 Référence CVE CVE-2020-12762 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-12762 Référence CVE CVE-2020-13434 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-13434 Référence CVE CVE-2020-13435 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=

Official advisory ↗
JVN iPedia · Japanese · JVNDB-2020-003705GnuTLS における不十分なランダム値の使用に関する脆弱性

GnuTLS には、不十分なランダム値の使用に関する脆弱性が存在します。

Official advisory ↗
03

Patch and workaround

Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.

Status
?Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change.
Fix availability varies by product
Affected
Fixed
Update to V3.1.5 or later version
Action
Use the product-specific evidence above. Patch only products with a verified fixed release, and keep every affected or under-investigation state without a matching fix in the remediation queue.
Workaround
No verified workaround is recorded. If business-safe, reduce exposure to the affected interface and allow only trusted sources until authoritative guidance is available.
04

Evidence and provenance

Published 3 Apr 2020 · Last source change 4 Aug 2024, 11:35 UTC · CWE-330 · Use of Insufficiently Random Values

CVE recordCVE.org · 5.1
CVSS sourceNIST NVD
EPSS source
?The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.
FIRST · tracked since 2026-08-14
European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2020-3854
Product sourceVendor CSAF · Siemens ProductCERT
Remediation sourceVendor CSAF · Siemens ProductCERT
CWE sourceNIST NVD
NVD statusNVD modified after enrichment

Missing structured fields: affected product. Missing data is not evidence of low risk; review the primary advisory.

Material change intelligence

What changed after publication

View recent updates ↗
  1. Affected versionsThe structured affected or fixed version information changed.
    Before
    n/a · Fixed: An authoritative update reference is available, but the fixed version is not recorded in the structured CVE fields. Check the linked vendor advisory for the applicable release.
    After
    n/a · Fixed: Update to V3.1.5 or later version
    Siemens ProductCERT ↗
Material fields only · duplicate refreshes suppressed · history retained for the configured operational retention period
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
CVE
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
CVSS
Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
EPSS
Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
CWE
Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
CNA
CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
CISA ADP
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
NVD
National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
CERT / CSIRT
A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
PoC
Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
CSAF
Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
LoTL
Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.
Free version - for non-commercial use only.CVE-2020-11501 · cve.blacktree.nl