Vulnerability in wolfProvider AES-GCM Nonce Handling Impacts Data Security

CVE-2026-81019

What is CVE-2026-81019?

The wolfProvider software, prior to version 1.2.2, contains a vulnerability that arises from its handling of the AES-GCM nonce during TLS 1.2 and DTLS 1.2 communications. The system generates an 8-byte explicit nonce when the TLS write key is assigned, but it fails to increment this nonce with each record. This oversight leads to a situation where multiple records encrypted within the same connection utilize the same key and nonce pairing. The implication of this flaw is severe, as reusing the same nonce and key exposes the keystream of encrypted data. This can allow an attacker to derive plaintext information from ciphertexts through the XOR operation, potentially compromising data integrity and confidentiality. Furthermore, the vulnerability also allows for the leaking of the GHASH authentication key, which could enable attackers to forge authentication tags. Notably, AES-CCM, TLS 1.3, and non-TLS applications of the cipher are not susceptible to this issue.

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