Plaintext disclosure via TLS padding oracle
Published Nov 21, 2022 · Updated Apr 15, 2025
Observable discrepancy in iPXE TLS allows remote authenticated users to infer plaintext through crafted CBC ciphertext. In tls_new_ciphertext in src/net/tls.c, invalid block padding returns before MAC computation, while valid padding continues through the MAC path, creating a timing oracle. Exploitation requires access to a TLS exchange using a block cipher and repeated ciphertext probes; the reported consequence is limited to indirect plaintext disclosure.
Summary
What happened
Observable discrepancy in iPXE TLS allows remote authenticated users to infer plaintext through crafted CBC ciphertext. In tls_new_ciphertext in src/net/tls.c, invalid block padding returns before MAC computation, while valid padding continues through the MAC path, creating a timing oracle. Exploitation requires access to a TLS exchange using a block cipher and repeated ciphertext probes; the reported consequence is limited to indirect plaintext disclosure.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-4087
- Published
- Nov 21, 2022
- Updated
- Apr 15, 2025
- Vendor
- iPXE
- Product
- iPXE
- Classifications
- CWE-203, CWE-284
- Attack vector
- adjacent
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Nov 21, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 15, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=n/a
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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