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CVE-2026-33308

mod_gnutls missing key purpose check in client certificate verification

6.8 Medium

Mod_gnutls is a TLS module for Apache HTTPD based on GnuTLS. Prior to version 0.13.0, code for client certificate verification did not check the key purpose as set in the Extended Key Usage extension. An attacker with access to the private key for a valid certificate issued by a CA trusted for TLS client authentication but designated for a different purpose could have used that certificate to improperly access resources requiring TLS client authentication. Server configurations that do not use client certificates (GnuTLSClientVerify ignore, the default) are not affected. The problem has been fixed in version 0.13.0 by rewriting certificate verification to use gnutls_certificate_verify_peers(), and requiring key purpose id-kp-clientAuth (also known as tls_www_client in GnuTLS) by default if the Extended Key Usage extension is present. The new GnuTLSClientKeyPurpose option allows overriding the expected key purpose if needed (please see the manual for details). Behavior for certificates without an Extended Key Usage extension is unchanged. If dedicated (sub-)CAs are used for issuing TLS client certificates only (not for any other purposes) the issue has no practical impact.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
High
Privileges needed
None
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

0.21%Up 0.2 points since Mar 24, 2026
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 6.8

mod_gnutls missing key purpose check in client certificate verification

Mod_gnutls is a TLS module for Apache HTTPD based on GnuTLS. Prior to version 0.13.0, code for client certificate verification did not check the key purpose as set in the Extended Key Usage extension. An attacker with access to the private key for a valid certificate issued by a CA trusted for TLS client authentication but designated for a different purpose could have used that certificate to improperly access resources requiring TLS client authentication. Server configurations that do not use client certificates (GnuTLSClientVerify ignore, the default) are not affected. The problem has been fixed in version 0.13.0 by rewriting certificate verification to use gnutls_certificate_verify_peers(), and requiring key purpose id-kp-clientAuth (also known as tls_www_client in GnuTLS) by default if the Extended Key Usage extension is present. The new GnuTLSClientKeyPurpose option allows overriding the expected key purpose if needed (please see the manual for details). Behavior for certificates without an Extended Key Usage extension is unchanged. If dedicated (sub-)CAs are used for issuing TLS client certificates only (not for any other purposes) the issue has no practical impact.

Record
CVE-2026-33308
CVSS 3.1
6.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-295
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-14694 6.8

Mod_gnutls is a TLS module for Apache HTTPD based on GnuTLS. Prior to version 0.13.0, code for client certificate verification did not check the key purpose as set in the Extended Key Usage extension. An attacker with access to the private key for a valid certificate issued by a CA trusted for TLS client authentication but designated for a different purpose could have used that certificate to improperly access resources requiring TLS client authentication. Server configurations that do not use client certificates (GnuTLSClientVerify ignore, the default) are not affected. The problem has been fixed in version 0.13.0 by rewriting certificate verification to use gnutls_certificate_verify_peers(), and requiring key purpose id-kp-clientAuth (also known as tls_www_client in GnuTLS) by default if the Extended Key Usage extension is present. The new GnuTLSClientKeyPurpose option allows overriding the expected key purpose if needed (please see the manual for details). Behavior for certificates without an Extended Key Usage extension is unchanged. If dedicated (sub-)CAs are used for issuing TLS client certificates only (not for any other purposes) the issue has no practical impact.

Record
EUVD-2026-14694
CVSS 3.1
6.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 6.8

Mod_gnutls is a TLS module for Apache HTTPD based on GnuTLS. Prior to version 0.13.0, code for client certificate verification did not check the key purpose as set in the Extended Key Usage extension. An attacker with access to the private key for a valid certificate issued by a CA trusted for TLS client authentication but designated for a different purpose could have used that certificate to improperly access resources requiring TLS client authentication. Server configurations that do not use client certificates (GnuTLSClientVerify ignore, the default) are not affected. The problem has been fixed in version 0.13.0 by rewriting certificate verification to use gnutls_certificate_verify_peers(), and requiring key purpose id-kp-clientAuth (also known as tls_www_client in GnuTLS) by default if the Extended Key Usage extension is present. The new GnuTLSClientKeyPurpose option allows overriding the expected key purpose if needed (please see the manual for details). Behavior for certificates without an Extended Key Usage extension is unchanged. If dedicated (sub-)CAs are used for issuing TLS client certificates only (not for any other purposes) the issue has no practical impact.

Record
CVE-2026-33308
CVSS 3.1
6.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
CVSS 3.1
5.9 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-295
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 6.8

mod_gnutls missing key purpose check in client certificate verification

Mod_gnutls is a TLS module for Apache HTTPD based on GnuTLS. Prior to version 0.13.0, code for client certificate verification did not check the key purpose as set in the Extended Key Usage extension. An attacker with access to the private key for a valid certificate issued by a CA trusted for TLS client authentication but designated for a different purpose could have used that certificate to improperly access resources requiring TLS client authentication. Server configurations that do not use client certificates (GnuTLSClientVerify ignore, the default) are not affected. The problem has been fixed in version 0.13.0 by rewriting certificate verification to use gnutls_certificate_verify_peers(), and requiring key purpose id-kp-clientAuth (also known as tls_www_client in GnuTLS) by default if the Extended Key Usage extension is present. The new GnuTLSClientKeyPurpose option allows overriding the expected key purpose if needed (please see the manual for details). Behavior for certificates without an Extended Key Usage extension is unchanged. If dedicated (sub-)CAs are used for issuing TLS client certificates only (not for any other purposes) the issue has no practical impact.

Record
CVE-2026-33308
CVSS 3.1
6.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-295
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2026-33308 6.8

Mod_gnutls is a TLS module for Apache HTTPD based on GnuTLS. Prior to version 0.13.0, code for client certificate verification did not check the key purpose as set in the Extended Key Usage extension. An attacker with access to the private key for a valid certificate issued by a CA trusted for TLS client authentication but designated for a different purpose could have used that certificate to improperly access resources requiring TLS client authentication. Server configurations that do not use client certificates (GnuTLSClientVerify ignore, the default) are not affected. The problem has been fixed in version 0.13.0 by rewriting certificate verification to use gnutls_certificate_verify_peers(), and requiring key purpose id-kp-clientAuth (also known as tls_www_client in GnuTLS) by default if the Extended Key Usage extension is present. The new GnuTLSClientKeyPurpose option allows overriding the expected key purpose if needed (please see the manual for details). Behavior for certificates without an Extended Key Usage extension is unchanged. If dedicated (sub-)CAs are used for issuing TLS client certificates only (not for any other purposes) the issue has no practical impact.

Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2026-33308
CVSS 3.1
6.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
CVSS 3.1
5.9 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
mod-gnutls
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
0.6-1.10.7.3-0ubuntu1
None known
mod-gnutls
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
0.8.2-3ubuntu1
None known
mod-gnutls
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
0.8.2-3ubuntu10.9.0-1.1ubuntu1
None known
mod-gnutls
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
0.9.0-1.1ubuntu1
None known

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
first indexedCVE List, EUVD, NVD, OSV

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

In short

CVE-2026-33308 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.8) in Mod Gnutls Project Gnutls, published March 24, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.21%, the 11th percentile. No source names a fixed version.

References

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