Question about the vulnerability CVE-2021-3606

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pokix
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jun 29, 2021 1:30 pm

Question about the vulnerability CVE-2021-3606

Post by pokix » Tue Jun 29, 2021 1:35 pm

Hello dear OpenVPN admin,

I just found out the CVE-2021-3606 related on github here : https://github.com/OpenVPN/openvpn/comm ... 9f6e365b1e

From what I understand, it impacts OpenVPN on Windows side, that use OpenSSL rather than CryptoAPI. However, I can't find out if the vulnerability impacts the OpenVPN server or the client (or both)

Has anyone more information about this ?

Thanks in advance for your help ;)

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openvpn_inc
OpenVPN Inc.
Posts: 1332
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:41 am

Re: Question about the vulnerability CVE-2021-3606

Post by openvpn_inc » Tue Jun 29, 2021 3:09 pm

If I understand this correctly (and I may not, so please don't take this as authoritative) it could affect any openvpn on Windows: client, server or p2p. The code appears to be initializing crypto, and all openvpn instances would do that.

Best bet is to consider any openvpn on Windows vulnerable to this.

Hope this helps, regards, rob0
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pokix
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jun 29, 2021 1:30 pm

Re: Question about the vulnerability CVE-2021-3606

Post by pokix » Tue Jun 29, 2021 3:11 pm

Hello ! Thank you for your answer. I think that you are totally right to consider everything as vulnerable.

pokix
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jun 29, 2021 1:30 pm

Re: Question about the vulnerability CVE-2021-3606

Post by pokix » Tue Jun 29, 2021 3:17 pm

So let's imagine that an attacker makes the OpenVPN client to load an openssl conf file of its creation : with lowered crypto level. How will the SSL transaction with the server happen ? The server has the original crypto configuration, and the client will have a different one. Will OpenVPN trigger some renegociation between them ?
Sorry for the may-be newbie question, I'm not really expert with OpenVPN :D

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openvpn_inc
OpenVPN Inc.
Posts: 1332
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:41 am

Re: Question about the vulnerability CVE-2021-3606

Post by openvpn_inc » Tue Jun 29, 2021 3:49 pm

If the server won't accept the lowered crypto level, no worries. See --data-ciphers in the manual to learn about negotiation (or --ncp-ciphers in OpenVPN 2.4 or earlier.)

Regards, rob0
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Answers provided by OpenVPN Inc. staff members here are provided on a voluntary best-effort basis, and no rights can be claimed on the basis of answers posted in this public forum. If you wish to get official support from OpenVPN Inc. please use the official support ticket system: https://openvpn.net/support

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