# CVE-2023-40661: Opensc: multiple memory issues with pkcs15-init (enrollment tool)

Status: published. Published: 2023-11-06. Updated: 2026-11-06.

Several memory vulnerabilities were identified within the OpenSC packages, particularly in the card enrollment process using pkcs15-init when a user or administrator enrolls cards. To take advantage of these flaws, an attacker must have physical access to the computer system and employ a custom-crafted USB device or smart card to manipulate responses to APDUs. This manipulation can potentially allow 
compromise key generation, certificate loading, and other card management operations during enrollment.

## Remediation

No remediation reported in collected sources

## Affected products and versions

-  /  (OpenSC): ≥ 0; < 0.24.0 (affected, semver). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (opensc): ≥ 0:0.20.0-7.el8_9; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 (opensc): ≥ 0:0.23.0-3.el9_3; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 (opensc): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat

## Severity and prioritization

- CVSS 3.1: 5.4 (medium); CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H; source: CNA: redhat

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 1.32% as of 2026-11-06; percentile 70.95%

- SSVC: Not available

- Weaknesses: CWE-119

## Exploit evidence

No exploit evidence in collected sources. This is not proof of no exploitation.

## References

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7876 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7879 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-40661 (CNA: redhat; vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2240913 (CNA: redhat; issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC/issues/2792#issuecomment-1674806651 (CNA: redhat)

- https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC/releases/tag/0.24.0-rc1 (CNA: redhat)

- https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC/wiki/OpenSC-security-advisories (CNA: redhat)

- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/12/13/3 (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7876 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7879 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-40661 (ADP: CVE; vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2240913 (ADP: CVE; issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC/issues/2792#issuecomment-1674806651 (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

- https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC/releases/tag/0.24.0-rc1 (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

- https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC/wiki/OpenSC-security-advisories (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/11/msg00024.html (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/3CPQOMCDWFRBMEFR5VK4N5MMXXU42ODE/ (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/GLYEFIBBA37TK3UNMZN5NOJ7IWCIXLQP/ (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2024/12/msg00026.html (ADP: CVE)

## Provenance

- CNA: redhat: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-40661; retrieved 2026-11-06; source updated 2026-11-06

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2023-40661; retrieved 2026-11-06; source updated Not reported

Revision: 9b3836dd89bde48c82d2e5517e6ba2a9490c0ffaefdfcc9c899314b7ffeae7f3

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2023-40661

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