CVE-2020-36478
An issue was discovered in Mbed TLS before 2.25.0 (and before 2.16.9 LTS and before 2.7.18 LTS)....
An issue was discovered in Mbed TLS before 2.25.0 (and before 2.16.9 LTS and before 2.7.18 LTS). A NULL algorithm parameters entry looks identical to an array of REAL (size zero) and thus the certificate is considered valid. However, if the parameters do not match in any way, then the certificate should be considered invalid.
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
What each source reports
NVD Score used
An issue was discovered in Mbed TLS before 2.25.0 (and before 2.16.9 LTS and before 2.7.18 LTS). A NULL algorithm parameters entry looks identical to an array of REAL (size zero) and thus the certificate is considered valid. However, if the parameters do not match in any way, then the certificate should be considered invalid.
- Record
CVE-2020-36478- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - CVSS 2.0
- 5.0 Medium
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-295
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
An issue was discovered in Mbed TLS before 2.25.0 (and before 2.16.9 LTS and before 2.7.18 LTS). A NULL algorithm parameters entry looks identical to an array of REAL (size zero) and thus the certificate is considered valid. However, if the parameters do not match in any way, then the certificate should be considered invalid.
- Record
CVE-2020-36478- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-23964 No score
An issue was discovered in Mbed TLS before 2.25.0 (and before 2.16.9 LTS and before 2.7.18 LTS). A NULL algorithm parameters entry looks identical to an array of REAL (size zero) and thus the certificate is considered valid. However, if the parameters do not match in any way, then the certificate should be considered invalid.
- Record
EUVD-2020-23964- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-8xrj-2854-7x44
An issue was discovered in Mbed TLS before 2.25.0 (and before 2.16.9 LTS and before 2.7.18 LTS)....
An issue was discovered in Mbed TLS before 2.25.0 (and before 2.16.9 LTS and before 2.7.18 LTS). A NULL algorithm parameters entry looks identical to an array of REAL (size zero) and thus the certificate is considered valid. However, if the parameters do not match in any way, then the certificate should be considered invalid.
- Record
GHSA-8xrj-2854-7x44- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-295
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
An issue was discovered in Mbed TLS before 2.25.0 (and before 2.16.9 LTS and before 2.7.18 LTS). A NULL algorithm parameters entry looks identical to an array of REAL (size zero) and thus the certificate is considered valid. However, if the parameters do not match in any way, then the certificate should be considered invalid.
- Record
CVE-2020-36478- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2020-36478
An issue was discovered in Mbed TLS before 2.25.0 (and before 2.16.9 LTS and before 2.7.18 LTS). A NULL algorithm parameters entry looks identical to an array of REAL (size zero) and thus the certificate is considered valid. However, if the parameters do not match in any way, then the certificate should be considered invalid.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2020-36478- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVJLSEC-2025-213
An issue was discovered in Mbed TLS before 2.25.0 (and before 2.16.9 LTS and before 2.7.18 LTS)
An issue was discovered in Mbed TLS before 2.25.0 (and before 2.16.9 LTS and before 2.7.18 LTS). A NULL algorithm parameters entry looks identical to an array of REAL (size zero) and thus the certificate is considered valid. However, if the parameters do not match in any way, then the certificate should be considered invalid.
- Record
JLSEC-2025-213- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - CVSS 2.0
- 5.0 Medium
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2020-36478
An issue was discovered in Mbed TLS before 2.25.0 (and before 2.16.9 LTS and before 2.7.18 LTS). A NULL algorithm parameters entry looks identical to an array of REAL (size zero) and thus the certificate is considered valid. However, if the parameters do not match in any way, then the certificate should be considered invalid.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2020-36478- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
mbedtlsDebian:12 |
before 2.16.9-0.1 | 2.16.9-0.1 |
mbedtlsDebian:13 |
before 2.16.9-0.1 | 2.16.9-0.1 |
mbedtlsDebian:14 |
before 2.16.9-0.1 | 2.16.9-0.1 |
mbedtlsDebian:9 From an advisory covering 6 CVEs |
before 2.4.2-1+deb9u4, plus listed versions 2.4.2-12.4.2-1+deb9u12.4.2-1+deb9u1~bpo8+12.4.2-1+deb9u22.4.2-1+deb9u3 |
2.4.2-1+deb9u4 |
mbedtlsDebian:10 From an advisory covering 18 CVEs |
before 2.16.9-0~deb10u1, plus listed versions 2.16.0-12.16.2-12.16.3-12.16.4-12.16.5-1 |
2.16.9-0~deb10u1 |
MbedTLS_jllJulia |
before 2.25.0+0 | 2.25.0+0 |
mbedtlsUbuntu:16.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 2.1.2-12.2.0-12.2.1-12.2.1-22.2.1-2ubuntu0.12.2.1-2ubuntu0.22.2.1-2ubuntu0.3 |
None known |
mbedtlsUbuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 2.5.1-1ubuntu12.6.0-12.7.0-22.8.0-12.8.0-1ubuntu0.1~esm1 |
None known |
mbedtlsUbuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 2.16.2-12.16.3-12.16.4-1ubuntu22.16.4-1ubuntu2+esm1 |
None known |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected, facts | ||
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2020-36478 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.5) in Arm Mbed Tls, published August 23, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.10%, the 65th percentile. Fixed in mbedtls 2.16.9-0.1.