CVE-2025-69421: NULL Pointer Dereference in PKCS12_item_decrypt_d2i_ex function

Published Jan 16, 2026
·
Updated

Issue summary: Processing a malformed PKCS#12 file can trigger a NULL pointer dereference in the PKCS12itemdecryptd2iex() function.

Impact summary: A NULL pointer dereference can trigger a crash which leads to Denial of Service for an application processing PKCS#12 files.

The PKCS12itemdecryptd2iex() function does not check whether the oct parameter is NULL before dereferencing it. When called from PKCS12unpackp7encdata() with a malformed PKCS#12 file, this parameter can be NULL, causing a crash. The vulnerability is limited to Denial of Service and cannot be escalated to achieve code execution or memory disclosure.

Exploiting this issue requires an attacker to provide a malformed PKCS#12 file to an application that processes it. For that reason the issue was assessed as Low severity according to our Security Policy.

The FIPS modules in 3.6, 3.5, 3.4, 3.3 and 3.0 are not affected by this issue, as the PKCS#12 implementation is outside the OpenSSL FIPS module boundary.

OpenSSL 3.6, 3.5, 3.4, 3.3, 3.0, 1.1.1 and 1.0.2 are vulnerable to this issue.

Affected Software

12 affected components
OpenSSL OpenSSL>=1.0.2<=1.0.2zn, >=1.1.1<=1.1.1ze, >=3.0<=3.0.19, >=3.3<=3.3.6, >=3.4<=3.4.4, >=3.5<=3.5.5, >=3.6<=3.6.1
OpenSSL OpenSSL>=1.0.2<1.0.2zn
OpenSSL OpenSSL>=1.1.1<=1.1.1ze
OpenSSL OpenSSL>=3.0.0<3.0.19
OpenSSL OpenSSL>=3.3.0<3.3.6
OpenSSL OpenSSL>=3.4.0<3.4.4
OpenSSL OpenSSL>=3.5.0<3.5.5
OpenSSL OpenSSL>=3.6.0<3.6.1
IBM Verify Identity Access<=11.0 - 11.0.2
IBM Security Verify Access<=10.0 - 10.0.9.1
IBM Verify Identity Access Container<=11.0 - 11.0.2
IBM Security Verify Access Container<=10.0 - 10.0.9.1

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade OpenSSL 1.0.2 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 1.0.2zn
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade OpenSSL 1.1.1 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 1.1.1ze
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade OpenSSL 3.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 3.0.19
  4. Upgrade

    Upgrade OpenSSL 3.3 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 3.3.6
  5. Upgrade

    Upgrade OpenSSL 3.4 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 3.4.4
  6. Upgrade

    Upgrade OpenSSL 3.5 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 3.5.5
  7. Upgrade

    Upgrade OpenSSL 3.6 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 3.6.1

Event History

Jan 16, 2026
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·02:42 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Jan 27, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·04:01 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·04:01 PM
DescriptionWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·04:16 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Jul 8, 2026
Data Sourced
via IBM·12:00 AM
DescriptionAffected Software

Parent advisories

This vulnerability appears in the following advisories.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2025-69421?

CVE-2025-69421 has been categorized as a Denial of Service vulnerability due to a NULL pointer dereference.

2

How do I fix CVE-2025-69421?

To mitigate CVE-2025-69421, update OpenSSL to the latest version that has addressed this vulnerability.

3

Which versions of OpenSSL are affected by CVE-2025-69421?

CVE-2025-69421 affects OpenSSL versions from 1.0.2 through 1.0.2zn, 1.1.1 through 1.1.1ze, 3.0 through 3.0.19, 3.3 through 3.3.6, and 3.4 through 3.4.4.

4

What impact does CVE-2025-69421 have on my system?

The impact of CVE-2025-69421 can lead to crashes and Denial of Service for applications that utilize affected versions of OpenSSL.

5

How can I verify if my system is vulnerable to CVE-2025-69421?

You can check the version of OpenSSL installed on your system and compare it against the affected versions listed in CVE-2025-69421.

Contact

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