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CVE-2020-26263

RSA vulnerability in tslite-ng

7.5 HighFix available

tlslite-ng is an open source python library that implements SSL and TLS cryptographic protocols. In tlslite-ng before versions 0.7.6 and 0.8.0-alpha39, the code that performs decryption and padding check in RSA PKCS#1 v1.5 decryption is data dependant. In particular, the code has multiple ways in which it leaks information about the decrypted ciphertext. It aborts as soon as the plaintext doesn't start with 0x00, 0x02. All TLS servers that enable RSA key exchange as well as applications that use the RSA decryption API directly are vulnerable. This is patched in versions 0.7.6 and 0.8.0-alpha39. Note: the patches depend on Python processing the individual bytes in side-channel free manner, this is known to not the case (see reference). As such, users that require side-channel resistance are recommended to use different TLS implementations, as stated in the security policy of tlslite-ng.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
None
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
None
Integrity
High
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

1.52%Up 0.1 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 7.5

RSA vulnerability in tslite-ng

tlslite-ng is an open source python library that implements SSL and TLS cryptographic protocols. In tlslite-ng before versions 0.7.6 and 0.8.0-alpha39, the code that performs decryption and padding check in RSA PKCS#1 v1.5 decryption is data dependant. In particular, the code has multiple ways in which it leaks information about the decrypted ciphertext. It aborts as soon as the plaintext doesn't start with 0x00, 0x02. All TLS servers that enable RSA key exchange as well as applications that use the RSA decryption API directly are vulnerable. This is patched in versions 0.7.6 and 0.8.0-alpha39. Note: the patches depend on Python processing the individual bytes in side-channel free manner, this is known to not the case (see reference). As such, users that require side-channel resistance are recommended to use different TLS implementations, as stated in the security policy of tlslite-ng.

Record
CVE-2020-26263
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-326
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-0221 7.5

tlslite-ng is an open source python library that implements SSL and TLS cryptographic protocols. In tlslite-ng before versions 0.7.6 and 0.8.0-alpha39, the code that performs decryption and padding check in RSA PKCS#1 v1.5 decryption is data dependant. In particular, the code has multiple ways in which it leaks information about the decrypted ciphertext. It aborts as soon as the plaintext doesn't start with 0x00, 0x02. All TLS servers that enable RSA key exchange as well as applications that use the RSA decryption API directly are vulnerable. This is patched in versions 0.7.6 and 0.8.0-alpha39. Note: the patches depend on Python processing the individual bytes in side-channel free manner, this is known to not the case (see reference). As such, users that require side-channel resistance are recommended to use different TLS implementations, as stated in the security policy of tlslite-ng.

Record
EUVD-2020-0221
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-wvcv-832q-fjg7 8.7

RSA weakness in tslite-ng

Impact

The code that performs decryption and padding check in RSA PKCS#1 v1.5 decryption is data dependant. In particular, code in current (as of 0.8.0-alpha38) master https://github.com/tlsfuzzer/tlslite-ng/blob/0812ed60860fa61a6573b2c0e18771414958f46d/tlslite/utils/rsakey.py#L407-L441 and code in 0.7.5 branch https://github.com/tlsfuzzer/tlslite-ng/blob/acdde3161124d6ae37c506b3476aea9996d12e97/tlslite/utils/rsakey.py#L394-L425 has multiple ways in which it leaks information (for one, it aborts as soon as the plaintext doesn't start with 0x00, 0x02) about the decrypted ciphertext (both the bit length of the decrypted message as well as where the first unexpected byte lays).

All TLS servers that enable RSA key exchange as well as applications that use the RSA decryption API directly are vulnerable.

All previous versions of tlslite-ng are vulnerable.

Patches

The patches to fix it are proposed in https://github.com/tlsfuzzer/tlslite-ng/pull/438 https://github.com/tlsfuzzer/tlslite-ng/pull/439

Note: the patches depend on Python processing the individual bytes in side-channel free manner, this is known to not be the case: https://securitypitfalls.wordpress.com/2018/08/03/constant-time-compare-in-python/ As such, users that require side-channel resistance are recommended to use different TLS implementations, as stated in the security policy of tlslite-ng.

Workarounds

There is no way to workaround this issue.

References

https://securitypitfalls.wordpress.com/2018/08/03/constant-time-compare-in-python/

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory please open an issue in tlslite-ng.

Record
GHSA-wvcv-832q-fjg7
CVSS 4.0
8.7 HighCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-326
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 7.5

tlslite-ng is an open source python library that implements SSL and TLS cryptographic protocols. In tlslite-ng before versions 0.7.6 and 0.8.0-alpha39, the code that performs decryption and padding check in RSA PKCS#1 v1.5 decryption is data dependant. In particular, the code has multiple ways in which it leaks information about the decrypted ciphertext. It aborts as soon as the plaintext doesn't start with 0x00, 0x02. All TLS servers that enable RSA key exchange as well as applications that use the RSA decryption API directly are vulnerable. This is patched in versions 0.7.6 and 0.8.0-alpha39. Note: the patches depend on Python processing the individual bytes in side-channel free manner, this is known to not the case (see reference). As such, users that require side-channel resistance are recommended to use different TLS implementations, as stated in the security policy of tlslite-ng.

Record
CVE-2020-26263
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
CVSS 2.0
5.0 MediumAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-326
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 7.5

tlslite-ng is an open source python library that implements SSL and TLS cryptographic protocols. In tlslite-ng before versions 0.7.6 and 0.8.0-alpha39, the code that performs decryption and padding check in RSA PKCS#1 v1.5 decryption is data dependant. In particular, the code has multiple ways in which it leaks information about the decrypted ciphertext. It aborts as soon as the plaintext doesn't start with 0x00, 0x02. All TLS servers that enable RSA key exchange as well as applications that use the RSA decryption API directly are vulnerable. This is patched in versions 0.7.6 and 0.8.0-alpha39. Note: the patches depend on Python processing the individual bytes in side-channel free manner, this is known to not the case (see reference). As such, users that require side-channel resistance are recommended to use different TLS implementations, as stated in the security policy of tlslite-ng.

Record
CVE-2020-26263
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-wvcv-832q-fjg7 8.7

RSA weakness in tslite-ng

Impact

The code that performs decryption and padding check in RSA PKCS#1 v1.5 decryption is data dependant. In particular, code in current (as of 0.8.0-alpha38) master https://github.com/tlsfuzzer/tlslite-ng/blob/0812ed60860fa61a6573b2c0e18771414958f46d/tlslite/utils/rsakey.py#L407-L441 and code in 0.7.5 branch https://github.com/tlsfuzzer/tlslite-ng/blob/acdde3161124d6ae37c506b3476aea9996d12e97/tlslite/utils/rsakey.py#L394-L425 has multiple ways in which it leaks information (for one, it aborts as soon as the plaintext doesn't start with 0x00, 0x02) about the decrypted ciphertext (both the bit length of the decrypted message as well as where the first unexpected byte lays).

All TLS servers that enable RSA key exchange as well as applications that use the RSA decryption API directly are vulnerable.

All previous versions of tlslite-ng are vulnerable.

Patches

The patches to fix it are proposed in https://github.com/tlsfuzzer/tlslite-ng/pull/438 https://github.com/tlsfuzzer/tlslite-ng/pull/439

Note: the patches depend on Python processing the individual bytes in side-channel free manner, this is known to not be the case: https://securitypitfalls.wordpress.com/2018/08/03/constant-time-compare-in-python/ As such, users that require side-channel resistance are recommended to use different TLS implementations, as stated in the security policy of tlslite-ng.

Workarounds

There is no way to workaround this issue.

References

https://securitypitfalls.wordpress.com/2018/08/03/constant-time-compare-in-python/

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory please open an issue in tlslite-ng.

Record
GHSA-wvcv-832q-fjg7
CVSS 4.0
8.7 HighCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-326
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2020-26263 7.5

tlslite-ng is an open source python library that implements SSL and TLS cryptographic protocols. In tlslite-ng before versions 0.7.6 and 0.8.0-alpha39, the code that performs decryption and padding check in RSA PKCS#1 v1.5 decryption is data dependant. In particular, the code has multiple ways in which it leaks information about the decrypted ciphertext. It aborts as soon as the plaintext doesn't start with 0x00, 0x02. All TLS servers that enable RSA key exchange as well as applications that use the RSA decryption API directly are vulnerable. This is patched in versions 0.7.6 and 0.8.0-alpha39. Note: the patches depend on Python processing the individual bytes in side-channel free manner, this is known to not the case (see reference). As such, users that require side-channel resistance are recommended to use different TLS implementations, as stated in the security policy of tlslite-ng.

Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2020-26263
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVPYSEC-2020-143 No score

tlslite-ng is an open source python library that implements SSL and TLS cryptographic protocols. In tlslite-ng before versions 0.7.6 and 0.8.0-alpha39, the code that performs decryption and padding check in RSA PKCS#1 v1.5 decryption is data dependant. In particular, the code has multiple ways in which it leaks information about the decrypted ciphertext. It aborts as soon as the plaintext doesn't start with 0x00, 0x02. All TLS servers that enable RSA key exchange as well as applications that use the RSA decryption API directly are vulnerable. This is patched in versions 0.7.6 and 0.8.0-alpha39. Note: the patches depend on Python processing the individual bytes in side-channel free manner, this is known to not the case (see reference). As such, users that require side-channel resistance are recommended to use different TLS implementations, as stated in the security policy of tlslite-ng.

Record
PYSEC-2020-143
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
tlslite-ng
PyPI
before 0.7.6
0.7.6
tlslite-ng
PyPI
before 0.7.6, plus listed versions
0.5.00.5.0-beta10.5.0-beta20.5.0-beta30.5.0-beta4
Show 27 moreShow less
0.5.0-beta50.5.0-beta60.5.10.5.20.6.00.6.0-alpha10.6.0-alpha20.6.0-alpha30.6.0-alpha40.6.0-alpha50.6.0-beta10.7.00.7.0-alpha10.7.0-alpha20.7.0-alpha30.7.0-alpha40.7.0-alpha50.7.0-alpha60.7.0-alpha70.7.0-alpha80.7.0-alpha90.7.0-beta10.7.10.7.20.7.30.7.40.7.5
0.7.6
tlslite-ng
PyPI
before 0.7.6, plus listed versions
0.5.0-beta10.5.0-beta20.5.0-beta30.5.0-beta40.5.0-beta5
Show 27 moreShow less
0.5.0-beta60.5.00.5.10.5.20.6.0-alpha10.6.0-alpha20.6.0-alpha30.6.0-alpha40.6.0-alpha50.6.0-beta10.6.00.7.0-alpha10.7.0-alpha20.7.0-alpha30.7.0-alpha40.7.0-alpha50.7.0-alpha60.7.0-alpha70.7.0-alpha80.7.0-alpha90.7.0-beta10.7.00.7.10.7.20.7.30.7.40.7.5
0.7.6
tlslite-ng
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
0.5.1-1
None known
tlslite-ng
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
0.7.0-20.7.0-30.7.4-1
None known

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2020-26263 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.5) in Tlsfuzzer Tlslite-ng, published December 21, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.52%, the 74th percentile. Fixed in tlslite-ng 0.7.6.

References

Show 6 moreShow less
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