Go to homepageCyberStrike

Menu

Star on GitHub · 3.2k
Sign inDownload

CVE-2026-5501

8.1 · HIGH

wolfSSL_X509_verify_cert in the OpenSSL compatibility layer accepts a certificate chain in which the leaf's signature is not checked, if the attacker supplies an untrusted intermediate with Basic C…

Published Apr 10, 2026CWE-295EPSS 0.22%

Overview

CVE-2026-5501 is a high-severity vulnerability. It was published on April 10, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 (HIGH).

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.

Technical description

wolfSSL_X509_verify_cert in the OpenSSL compatibility layer accepts a certificate chain in which the leaf's signature is not checked, if the attacker supplies an untrusted intermediate with Basic Constraints `CA:FALSE` that is legitimately signed by a trusted root. An attacker who obtains any leaf certificate from a trusted CA (e.g. a free DV cert from Let's Encrypt) can forge a certificate for any subject name with any public key and arbitrary signature bytes, and the function returns `WOLFSSL_SUCCESS` / `X509_V_OK`. The native wolfSSL TLS handshake path (`ProcessPeerCerts`) is not susceptible and the issue is limited to applications using the OpenSSL compatibility API directly, which would include integrations of wolfSSL into nginx and haproxy.

Remediation

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

References

GitHubgithub.com/wolfSSL/wolfssl/pull/10102

How CyberStrike helps

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-5501?

CVE-2026-5501 is a high-severity vulnerability. It was published on April 10, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2026-5501?

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.

How do I fix or remediate CVE-2026-5501?

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2026-5501?

CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2026-5501 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.

Related HIGH CVEs from 2026

View all
Browse by year2026202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999