Source-address bypass via predictable DTLS cookie
Published Jul 2, 2026 · Updated Jul 2, 2026
Default-key use in affected Erlang/OTP ssl releases allows remote attackers to bypass DTLS source-address checks during server startup. dtls_server_connection:initial_hello/3 initializes previous_cookie_secret to an empty binary, so the observable ClientHello yields a predictable HMAC cookie until secret rotation. Exploitation requires observing that plaintext hello within the 0-to-15-second startup window and enables spoofed-source handshake amplification, not authentication bypass.
Summary
What happened
Default-key use in affected Erlang/OTP ssl releases allows remote attackers to bypass DTLS source-address checks during server startup. dtls_server_connection:initial_hello/3 initializes previous_cookie_secret to an empty binary, so the observable ClientHello yields a predictable HMAC cookie until secret rotation. Exploitation requires observing that plaintext hello within the 0-to-15-second startup window and enables spoofed-source handshake amplification, not authentication bypass.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-54887
- Published
- Jul 2, 2026
- Updated
- Jul 2, 2026
- Vendor
- Erlang
- Product
- Erlang/OTP
- Classifications
- CWE-1394, CAPEC-485, T1498.002
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 2, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jul 2, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=20.0 <* changes=[{"at":"29.0.3","status":"unaffected"},{"at":"28.5.0.3","status":"unaffected"},{"at":"27.3.4.14","status":"unaffected"}]
- Affected versionversion=8.2 <* changes=[{"at":"11.7.3","status":"unaffected"},{"at":"11.6.0.3","status":"unaffected"},{"at":"11.2.12.10","status":"unaffected"}]
- Affected versionversion=e594aad2f87aab39e99fccf9e021bc94e0bbf7d4 <888e3bcd72d5406016b9e0de741026bc2a6f114d
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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