CVE-2010-5298

What it actually does

Race condition in ssl3_read_bytes when SSL_MODE_RELEASE_BUFFERS is enabled allows use-after-free and cross-session data injection or denial of service in multithreaded environments.

Why it matters to the business

Legacy systems running affected OpenSSL or dependent packages such as MariaDB face elevated risk of service outages and potential session tampering, though the flaw's age and lack of known exploitation reduce immediate operational urgency.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker opens an SSL connection to a multithreaded server using the vulnerable mode and times concurrent operations to trigger the race, resulting in use-after-free or injection of attacker-controlled data into another session.

How to fix it

Upgrade OpenSSL beyond version 1.0.1g or disable SSL_MODE_RELEASE_BUFFERS; apply vendor patches for MariaDB, SUSE, and Fedora packages that incorporate the fix.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm OpenSSL version exceeds 1.0.1g, review application code for disabled release-buffers mode, and perform multithreaded SSL connection tests to verify absence of parsing errors or crashes.

Typical attack path

1. Initiate SSL handshake to target
2. Enable or rely on SSL_MODE_RELEASE_BUFFERS on server
3. Issue concurrent read operations from multiple threads
4. Exploit timing window to cause use-after-free or inject data across sessions

How to detect it

Search application and system logs for OpenSSL parsing errors, unexpected session resets, or crashes referencing s3_pkt.c or use-after-free conditions during SSL processing.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize upgrade of all OpenSSL instances and dependent packages
• Audit applications for use of SSL_MODE_RELEASE_BUFFERS in multithreaded contexts
• Add version checks to vulnerability scanning and patch management processes