CVE-2022-37026 is a critical vulnerability affecting Erlang/OTP versions prior to 23.3.4.15, 24.x before 24.3.4.2, and 25.x before 25.0.2. The flaw is a client authentication bypass in SSL, TLS, and DTLS protocols under certain client-certification scenarios. Erlang/OTP is a widely used open-source platform for building scalable and fault-tolerant applications, including telecommunications systems, messaging platforms, and distributed databases. The vulnerability allows an attacker to bypass client authentication mechanisms, which are designed to verify the identity of clients connecting to a server. This bypass could enable unauthorized clients to establish connections without valid certificates, effectively impersonating legitimate clients. The vulnerability is network exploitable without requiring authentication or user interaction, as indicated by the CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N). The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high, as unauthorized access could lead to data disclosure, manipulation, or denial of service. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the high CVSS score of 9.8 reflects the severity and potential for exploitation. The vulnerability affects the core SSL/TLS/DTLS implementation in Erlang/OTP, which is foundational for secure communications in many applications. Without proper client authentication, secure channels can be compromised, undermining trust and security guarantees. This issue requires immediate patching to prevent exploitation.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-37026 is significant due to the widespread use of Erlang/OTP in critical infrastructure, telecommunications, financial services, and messaging systems. Unauthorized client authentication can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, interception or manipulation of communications, and potential disruption of services. This is particularly concerning for sectors regulated under GDPR and other data protection laws, where data breaches can result in heavy fines and reputational damage. Telecommunications providers using Erlang-based systems for signaling and control could face service disruptions or interception risks. Financial institutions relying on Erlang for backend services may experience fraud or data compromise. The vulnerability also poses risks to cloud service providers and enterprises deploying Erlang-based distributed applications, potentially affecting availability and integrity of services. Given the critical nature of the flaw, European organizations must prioritize remediation to maintain compliance and secure their communication channels.

1. Immediate upgrade to Erlang/OTP versions 23.3.4.15, 24.3.4.2, 25.0.2 or later where the vulnerability is patched. 2. Review and audit all systems using Erlang/OTP for SSL/TLS/DTLS client authentication configurations to identify affected deployments. 3. Implement network-level controls such as strict firewall rules and segmentation to limit exposure of Erlang-based services to untrusted networks. 4. Employ additional authentication layers or mutual TLS verification where possible to mitigate risks until patches are applied. 5. Monitor network traffic and logs for anomalous client authentication attempts or unexpected connections. 6. Coordinate with vendors and service providers to ensure timely patch deployment and confirm no residual vulnerabilities remain. 7. Conduct penetration testing and vulnerability assessments post-patching to validate remediation effectiveness. 8. Educate security teams about the specific nature of this bypass to improve incident detection and response capabilities.