CVE-2021-3711 OpenSSL
| Affected software | OpenSSL |
|---|---|
| Severity | 9.8 Critical CVSS 3.1 2 scores |
| Weakness | CWE-120 |
| Published | 24 Aug 2021 |
| Updated | 8 Oct 2026 |
Description
In order to decrypt SM2 encrypted data an application is expected to call the API function EVP_PKEY_decrypt(). Typically an application will call this function twice. The first time, on entry, the "out" parameter can be NULL and, on exit, the "outlen" parameter is populated with the buffer size required to hold the decrypted plaintext. The application can then allocate a sufficiently sized buffer and call EVP_PKEY_decrypt() again, but this time passing a non-NULL value for the "out" parameter. A bug in the implementation of the SM2 decryption code means that the calculation of the buffer size required to hold the plaintext returned by the first call to EVP_PKEY_decrypt() can be smaller than the actual size required by the second call. This can lead to a buffer overflow when EVP_PKEY_decrypt() is called by the application a second time with a buffer that is too small. A malicious attacker who is able present SM2 content for decryption to an application could cause attacker chosen data to overflow the buffer by up to a maximum of 62 bytes altering the contents of other data held after the buffer, possibly changing application behaviour or causing the application to crash. The location of the buffer is application dependent but is typically heap allocated. Fixed in OpenSSL 1.1.1l (Affected 1.1.1-1.1.1k).
Exploitation status
Forecast only (88% 30-day chance)
No exploit has been reported in the sources we check. EPSS puts this CVE in the top 0.23% of all scored CVEs. That is a model's forecast, not a report of exploitation.
Exploitation status
- CISA KEV not listed
- VulnCheck KEV not listed
- CISA Vulnrichment exploitation: none
- Indexed PoC 1 indexed, none at 5+ stars
- EPSS 88% chance in 30 days A model's forecast, not a report of exploitation. Higher than 99.8% of all scored CVEs.
| Index | Artifact | Stars | First seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub PoC | Offline length-arithmetic model of the OpenSSL SM2 decryption buffer sizing (CVE-2021-3711). Sizes only: no cryptography, no buffers, no OpenSSL. | 2026-11-09 |
Waratek protection
A Java vulnerability, but not one Waratek protects. It affects only Java on a user's desktop (applets, Web Start, JavaFX, the installer), sits in a product the Waratek agent can't be installed into, or is in a package we don't expect in business applications. The decision below says which.
- Protection none
- Action not pursued none
- Review human Researcher
- Record active
| Decided by | Manual classification of this CVE in the legacy dataset |
|---|---|
| Finding | A manual classification set this CVE's status to Outside Waratek scope, but the CVE names a tracked product. |
CVSS
9.8 CRITICAL
v3.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
2 metrics
CVSS
9.8 CRITICAL v3.1CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
2 metrics
We show the highest score from the newest CVSS version. Scores from different versions can't be compared, and the first score listed is sometimes a 0.0 placeholder.
| Version | Score | Band | Vector | Assigner | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 9.8 | CRITICAL | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
NVD | Primary | published |
| CVSS 2.0 | 7.5 | none | AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P |
NVD | Primary |
Affected software and releases
Oracle advisories
| Advisory | Type | Quarter | Products Oracle names in its risk matrix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Critical Patch Update October 2025 ↗ | CPU | 2025-Q4 | Oracle Hyperion / Installation (OpenSSL) (11.2.22.0.000) |
| Oracle Critical Patch Update April 2022 ↗ | CPU | 2022-Q2 | Oracle Health Sciences Applications / Connector (OpenSSL) (6.2.1.0, 6.3.1.1) Oracle JD Edwards / Enterprise Infrastructure (OpenSSL) (Prior to 9.2.6.3) Oracle JD Edwards / World Software Security (OpenSSL) (A9.4) |
| Oracle Critical Patch Update January 2022 ↗ | CPU | 2022-Q1 | Oracle Essbase / Infrastructure (OpenSSL) (Prior to 11.1.2.4.047, Prior to 21.3) |
| Oracle Critical Patch Update October 2021 ↗ | CPU | 2021-Q4 | Oracle MySQL / Server: Packaging (OpenSSL) (5.7.35 and prior, 8.0.26 and prior) |
Oracle components and versions
| Family | Component | Versions, as Oracle lists them | Read as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Essbase | Infrastructure (OpenSSL) | Prior to 11.1.2.4.047, Prior to 21.3 | |
| Oracle Health Sciences Applications | Connector (OpenSSL) | 6.2.1.0, 6.3.1.1 | 6.2.1.0 · 6.3.1.1 |
| Oracle Hyperion | Installation (OpenSSL) | 11.2.22.0.000 | 11.2.22.0.0 |
| Oracle JD Edwards | Enterprise Infrastructure (OpenSSL) | Prior to 9.2.6.3 | |
| Oracle JD Edwards | World Software Security (OpenSSL) | A9.4 | |
| Oracle MySQL | Server: Packaging (OpenSSL) | 5.7.35 and prior, 8.0.26 and prior |
Products and versions
31 products, 41 version entries| Source | Vendor | Product | Scheme | Affected versions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nvd | debian | debian linux | generic | 10.0 · 11.0 |
| nvd | netapp | active iq unified manager | generic | any version |
| nvd | netapp | clustered data ontap | generic | any version |
| nvd | netapp | clustered data ontap antivirus connector | generic | any version |
| nvd | netapp | e-series santricity os controller | generic | ≥ 11.0 and ≤ 11.50.2 |
| nvd | netapp | hci management node | generic | any version |
| nvd | netapp | manageability software development kit | generic | any version |
| nvd | netapp | oncommand insight | generic | any version |
| nvd | netapp | oncommand workflow automation | generic | any version |
| nvd | netapp | santricity smi-s provider | generic | any version |
| nvd | netapp | snapcenter | generic | any version |
| nvd | netapp | solidfire | generic | any version |
| nvd | netapp | storage encryption | generic | any version |
| nvd | openssl | openssl | generic | ≥ 1.1.1 and < 1.1.1 |
| nvd | oracle | communications cloud native core security edge protection proxy | generic | 1.7.0 |
| nvd | oracle | communications cloud native core unified data repository | generic | 1.15.0 |
| nvd | oracle | communications session border controller | generic | 8.4 · 9.0 |
| nvd | oracle | communications unified session manager | generic | 8.2.5 · 8.4.5 |
| nvd | oracle | enterprise communications broker | generic | 3.2.0 · 3.3.0 |
| nvd | oracle | enterprise session border controller | generic | 8.4 · 9.0 |
| nvd | oracle | essbase | generic | < 11.1.2.4.47 · ≥ 21.1 and < 21.3 |
| nvd | oracle | health sciences inform publisher | generic | 6.2.1.1 · 6.3.1.1 |
| nvd | oracle | jd edwards enterpriseone tools | generic | < 9.2.6.3 |
| nvd | oracle | jd edwards world security | generic | a9.4 |
| nvd | oracle | mysql connectors | generic | ≤ 8.0.27 |
| nvd | oracle | mysql enterprise monitor | generic | ≤ 8.0.25 |
| nvd | oracle | mysql server | generic | ≥ 5.7.0 and ≤ 5.7.35 · ≥ 8.0.0 and ≤ 8.0.26 |
| nvd | oracle | peoplesoft enterprise peopletools | generic | 8.57 · 8.58 · 8.59 |
| nvd | oracle | zfs storage appliance kit | generic | 8.8 |
| nvd | tenable | nessus network monitor | generic | ≤ 5.13.1 |
| nvd | tenable | tenable.sc | generic | ≥ 5.16.0 and ≤ 5.19.1 |
Earlier manual review
A reviewer classified this CVE in an older dataset. We kept the labels and products below, but not the reviewer's reasoning.
## Manual Classification Context **Labels:** MYSQL PROTOCOL, HTTPS, INFRASTRUCTURE (OPENSSL), NO AUTH REMOTE EXPLOIT, SERVER: PACKAGING (OPENSSL) **Products:** ORACLE ESSBASE, MYSQL SERVER, ORACLE MYSQL
References
Timeline
Timeline
| Published | 2021-08-24 | By the CVE Program. |
|---|---|---|
| NVD record modified | 2026-10-08 | NVD's own last-modified date for this record. |