HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2023-33202
MEDIUM

CVE-2023-33202

CWE-400Published: November 23, 2023· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

5.5
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Bouncy Castle for Java before 1.73 contains a potential Denial of Service (DoS) issue within the Bouncy Castle org.bouncycastle.openssl.PEMParser class. This class parses OpenSSL PEM encoded streams containing X.509 certificates, PKCS8 encoded keys, and PKCS7 objects. Parsing a file that has crafted ASN.1 data through the PEMParser causes an OutOfMemoryError, which can enable a denial of service attack. (For users of the FIPS Java API: BC-FJA 1.0.2.3 and earlier are affected; BC-FJA 1.0.2.4 is fixed.)

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2023-33202 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.

A successful exploit results in availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 5.5.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionRequired
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

bouncycastle2 product(s)
bouncy castle for javafips java api
Source: NVD CPE · 2 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

ADVISORYhttps://github.com/bcgit/bc-java/wiki/CVE-2023-33202
ADVISORYhttps://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240125-0001/
ADVISORYhttps://github.com/bcgit/bc-java/wiki/CVE-2023-33202
ADVISORYhttps://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240125-0001/

All References (7)

→
https://bouncycastle.orgProduct
→
https://github.com/bcgit/bc-java/wiki/CVE%E2%80%902023%E2%80%9033202
→
https://github.com/bcgit/bc-java/wiki/CVE-2023-33202Exploit · Third Party Advisory
→
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240125-0001/Third Party Advisory
→
https://bouncycastle.orgProduct
→
https://github.com/bcgit/bc-java/wiki/CVE-2023-33202Exploit · Third Party Advisory
→
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240125-0001/Third Party Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2023-33202
CVSS Score5.5 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-400
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedNov 23, 2023

Related CVEs (CWE-400)

CVE-2018-16486
9.8
CVE-2018-16489
9.8
CVE-2023-28507
9.8
CVE-2022-48716
9.8
CVE-2023-30769
9.8
CVE-2018-16491
9.8

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2023-33202 in threat intel feeds
  • →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.
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