Openvpn: [Use-After-Free / Dangling Pointer in TLS Session Handling] (CVE-2026-84471)
Description
A use-after-free and dangling pointer vulnerability exists in the TLS session handling of OpenVPN, identified as CVE-2026-84471. This vulnerability affects multiple specific versions of OpenVPN, primarily those distributed in various Ubuntu releases. The flaw could potentially lead to high impact consequences due to improper memory handling during TLS sessions. A patch is available to address this issue.
CVSS v4.0
Affected software
pkg:deb/ubuntu/openvpn?arch=source&distro=esm-infra-legacy/trustypkg:deb/ubuntu/openvpn?arch=source&distro=esm-infra/xenialpkg:deb/ubuntu/openvpn?arch=source&distro=esm-infra/bionicpkg:deb/ubuntu/openvpn?arch=source&distro=focalpkg:deb/ubuntu/openvpn?arch=source&distro=jammypkg:deb/ubuntu/openvpn?arch=source&distro=noblepkg:deb/ubuntu/openvpn?arch=source&distro=resoluteRun on your own infrastructure? Check whether these packages are installed with threat-finder — our free open-source scanner.
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-84471 describes a use-after-free and dangling pointer vulnerability in the TLS session handling component of OpenVPN. This memory management flaw can cause the program to reference freed memory, potentially leading to crashes or other unintended behavior. The vulnerability affects numerous OpenVPN versions, particularly those packaged for Ubuntu distributions. The issue has been assigned a medium severity rating with a CVSS 4.0 vector indicating network attack vector, low attack complexity, no user interaction, and high impact on availability. A patch has been released by Ubuntu to remediate this vulnerability.
Potential Impact
The vulnerability can lead to high impact on system availability due to use-after-free conditions in TLS session handling. This could cause OpenVPN service crashes or instability, potentially disrupting VPN connectivity. There is no indication of known exploits in the wild. The vulnerability requires low attack complexity and no user interaction, making it feasible for a local attacker with privileges to exploit.
Mitigation Recommendations
A patch is available and should be applied promptly. Refer to the Ubuntu security notice USN-8852-1 for the official fixes. Updating OpenVPN to the patched versions provided by Ubuntu is the recommended remediation. No additional mitigation steps are indicated by the vendor advisory.
Technical Details
- Gcve Source
- db.gcve.eu
- Osv Id
- UBUNTU-CVE-2026-84471
- Osv Schema Version
- 1.7.0
- Ecosystems
- ["Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS","Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS","Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS","Ubuntu:20.04:LTS","Ubuntu:22.04:LTS","Ubuntu:24.04:LTS","Ubuntu:26.04:LTS"]
- Cvss Version
- 4.0
Patch Information
Threat ID: 6ad3f55a2cdf04f65665e986
Added to database: 10/17/2026, 22:23:22 UTC
Last enriched: 10/17/2026, 23:29:26 UTC
Last updated: 10/17/2026, 23:29:26 UTC
Views: 3
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