Client impersonation via zero-secret session resumption
Published Apr 1, 2026 · Updated Apr 1, 2026
Improper authentication in Mbed TLS 3.5.0 through 3.6.5 and 4.0.0 allows man-in-the-middle attackers to impersonate TLS clients. During TLS 1.3 ticket resumption after HelloRetryRequest, the server accepts a TLS 1.2 ClientHello and resumes with an all-zero master secret. Exploitation requires an intercepted handshake, dual TLS-version support, client authentication, session tickets, and a HelloRetryRequest; successful attackers inherit the ticket holder's identity and, with custom ticket data, its encoded privileges.
Summary
What happened
Improper authentication in Mbed TLS 3.5.0 through 3.6.5 and 4.0.0 allows man-in-the-middle attackers to impersonate TLS clients. During TLS 1.3 ticket resumption after HelloRetryRequest, the server accepts a TLS 1.2 ClientHello and resumes with an all-zero master secret. Exploitation requires an intercepted handshake, dual TLS-version support, client authentication, session tickets, and a HelloRetryRequest; successful attackers inherit the ticket holder's identity and, with custom ticket data, its encoded privileges.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-34873
- Published
- Apr 1, 2026
- Updated
- Apr 1, 2026
- Vendor
- Unknown vendor
- Product
- Unknown product
- Classifications
- CWE-287, T1557
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 1, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 1, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
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Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Technologies
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