How severe is CVE-2016-7444?

CVE-2016-7444 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity high, and availability none.

Is CVE-2016-7444 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (82nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-7444?

CVE-2016-7444 primarily affects Gnu Gnutls. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-7444?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2016-7444 published?

CVE-2016-7444 was published on 2016-09-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-7444

CVE-2016-7444 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gnu Gnutls with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-264.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
CVSS v2: 5.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (82nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-264
Affected product: Gnu Gnutls
Published: 2016-09-27
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The gnutls_ocsp_resp_check_crt function in lib/x509/ocsp.c in GnuTLS before 3.4.15 and 3.5.x before 3.5.4 does not verify the serial length of an OCSP response, which might allow remote attackers to bypass an intended certificate validation mechanism via vectors involving trailing bytes left by gnutls_malloc.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-7444?: The gnutls_ocsp_resp_check_crt function in lib/x509/ocsp.c in GnuTLS before 3.4.15 and 3.5.x before 3.5.4 does not verify the serial length of an OCSP response, which might allow remote attackers to bypass an intended certificate validation mechanism via vectors involving trailing bytes left by gnutls_malloc.
How severe is CVE-2016-7444?: CVE-2016-7444 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity high, and availability none.
Is CVE-2016-7444 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (82nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-7444?: CVE-2016-7444 primarily affects Gnu Gnutls. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-7444?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2016-7444 published?: CVE-2016-7444 was published on 2016-09-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (5)

cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gnutls:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gnutls:3.5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gnutls:3.5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gnutls:3.5.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gnutls:3.5.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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