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Full vulnerability report · 2026
CVE-2026-44378High confidence

Botan: Quadratic complexity decoding BER indefinite length encodings

randombit · botan

Official source article: GitHub GHSA-7Q2V-3G27-6G3J ↗. Check the applicable product and release in the original source.

6.9MediumCVSS 4.0
Recommended action
Scheduled

Medium technical severity with no CISA KEV confirmation; remediate through the normal risk-based patch cycle unless local exposure raises the priority.

Patch available
R
Operational reassessment

Published severity in operational context

Open reassessment dashboard →
Published severityMediumOperational priority:Medium, 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 0.46% 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 randombit botan 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: As exposure requiresRemediation target: Within 365 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.

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.

3 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 · sourcebotan3Vendor fix publishedDebian records a fixed source-package version for this release.3.12.0+dfsg-2~deb13u1Debian Security Tracker ↗Source updated 5 Oct 2026
Debian forkyforky · sourcebotan3Vendor fix publishedDebian records a fixed source-package version for this release.3.12.0+dfsg-2Debian Security Tracker ↗Source updated 5 Oct 2026
Debian sidsid · sourcebotan3Vendor fix publishedDebian records a fixed source-package version for this release.3.12.0+dfsg-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
CVE-2026-44378 · CSAF 2.0 · revision 4 · interimSUSE Product Security TeamCVE-2026-44378
25 known affected

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

  • MozillaThunderbird as component of SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP7
  • MozillaThunderbird-translations-common as component of SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP7
  • MozillaThunderbird-translations-other as component of SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP7
  • Botan as component of SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 12 SP5
  • libbotan-devel as component of SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 12 SP5
  • MozillaThunderbird as component of SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP7
  • MozillaThunderbird-translations-common as component of SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP7
  • MozillaThunderbird-translations-other as component of SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP7
  • Botan as component of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS
  • libbotan-devel as component of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS
  • Botan as component of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5
  • libbotan-devel as component of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5
Summary
Botan is a C++ cryptography library. Prior to 3.12.0, certain patterns of indefinite length encodings in BER data could cause quadratic behavior in the parser, resulting in a denial of service. Such BER encodings were accepted even in structures which are required to be encoded as DER, which prohibits indefinite length encodings. This vulnerability is fixed in 3.12.0.
Remediation
To install this SUSE Security Update use the SUSE recommended installation methods like YaST online_update or "zypper patch".
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-2026-32582

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 actionScheduled

Medium technical severity with no CISA KEV confirmation; remediate through the normal risk-based patch cycle unless local exposure raises the priority.

Patch available
01

What, why and how

Botan is a C++ cryptography library. Prior to 3.12.0, certain patterns of indefinite length encodings in BER data could cause quadratic behavior in the parser, resulting in a denial of service. Such BER encodings were accepted even in structures which are required to be encoded as DER, which prohibits indefinite length encodings. This vulnerability is fixed in 3.12.0.

What

Botan is a C++ cryptography library. Prior to 3.12.0, certain patterns of indefinite length encodings in BER data could cause quadratic behavior in the parser, resulting in a denial of service. Such BER encodings were accepted even in structures which are required to be encoded as DER, which prohibits indefinite length encodings. This vulnerability is fixed in 3.12.0.

Why

An algorithm in a product has an inefficient worst-case computational complexity that may be detrimental to system performance and can be triggered by an attacker, typically using crafted manipulations that ensure that the worst case is being reached.

How

An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may disrupt the affected service.

What

Botan is a C++ cryptography library. Prior to 3.12.0, certain patterns of indefinite length encodings in BER data could cause quadratic behavior in the parser, resulting in a denial of service. Such BER encodings were accepted even in structures which are required to be encoded as DER, which prohibits indefinite length encodings. This vulnerability is fixed in 3.12.0.

Why

An algorithm in a product has an inefficient worst-case computational complexity that may be detrimental to system performance and can be triggered by an attacker, typically using crafted manipulations that ensure that the worst case is being reached.

How

An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may disrupt the affected service.

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 → Inefficient Algorithmic Complexity → disrupt the affected service
Attack surface
Network
Privileges required
None: unauthenticated exploitation is possible
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
Security boundary
Not a CVSS 4.0 base metric
Weakness
?CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness.
CWE-407 ↗

CWE-407: Inefficient Algorithmic Complexity. An algorithm in a product has an inefficient worst-case computational complexity that may be detrimental to system performance and can be triggered by an attacker, typically using crafted manipulations that ensure that the worst case is being reached.

CVSS vector
?CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity.
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Common Vulnerability Scoring System 4.0: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.

AVNetworkAttack vector: The vulnerable component can be reached over a network.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.ATNoneAttack requirements: No additional deployment or execution condition is required.PRNonePrivileges required: The attacker does not need an account or existing privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.VCNoneVulnerable-system confidentiality: No direct loss is represented by this metric.VINoneVulnerable-system integrity: No direct loss is represented by this metric.VALowVulnerable-system availability: A successful attack can cause a limited loss.SCNoneSubsequent-system confidentiality: No direct loss is represented by this metric.SINoneSubsequent-system integrity: No direct loss is represented by this metric.SANoneSubsequent-system availability: 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.
NetworkUnauthenticatedDenial of serviceCWE-407
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-20260603Security Bulletin 3 Jun 2026

The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore included this CVE in its official Security Bulletin 3 Jun 2026, published on 3 June 2026. Open the linked bulletin for the product, severity and reference information published in that issue.

Official advisory ↗
JVN iPedia · Japanese · JVNDB-2026-017821Botan projectのBotanにおけるアルゴリズムの複雑さに関する脆弱性

BotanはC++の暗号ライブラリです。3.12.0以前のバージョンでは、BERデータにおける特定の無限長エンコーディングのパターンがパーサーで二次的な誤動作を引き起こし、サービス拒否(DoS)を招く可能性がありました。こうしたBERエンコーディングは、本来DERとしてエンコードされるべき構造でも許容されていましたが、DERは無限長エンコーディングを禁止しています。この脆弱性は3.12.0で修正されています。

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.
Patch available
Affected
Fixed
No fixed version is explicitly recorded in the structured CVE data.
Action
To install this SUSE Security Update use the SUSE recommended installation methods like YaST online_update or "zypper patch".
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 27 May 2026 · Last source change 27 May 2026, 19:21 UTC · CWE-407 · Inefficient Algorithmic Complexity

CVE recordCVE.org · 5.2
CVSS sourceCNA
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-2026-32582
Product sourceVendor CSAF · SUSE Product Security Team
Remediation sourceVendor CSAF · SUSE Product Security Team
CWE sourceCNA
NVD statusNVD enriched

Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.

Material change intelligence

What changed after publication

View recent updates ↗
  1. Remediation statusRemediation status changed from Awaiting fix to Mitigation available.
    Before
    Awaiting fix
    After
    Mitigation available
    SUSE Product Security Team ↗
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-2026-44378 · cve.blacktree.nl