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PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2026-78124 strongSwan CVE debrief

A vulnerability in strongSwan 5.0.2 through 6.0.7 allows for PKCS#7 certificate enumeration in the openssl plugin, leading to a lack of release of memory after its effective lifetime. This issue has been addressed in version 6.1.0. Defenders should assess exposure and prioritize patching to version 6.1.0. The vulnerability affects systems using strongSwan for VPN or other cryptographic operations, potentially leading to memory issues. Verification of exposure, assessment of operational impacts, and prioritization of patching are crucial. The CVE record and NVD entry provide details on the vulnerability, including its description, CVSS score, and affected versions.

Vendor
strongSwan
Product
Unknown
CVSS
LOW 3.7
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2026-09-11
Original CVE updated
2026-09-14
Advisory published
2026-09-11
Advisory updated
2026-09-14

Who should care

Defenders responsible for systems using strongSwan for VPN or other cryptographic operations should assess exposure and prioritize patching to version 6.1.0.

Why it matters

Defenders should care about CVE-2026-78124 because it affects strongSwan versions 5.0.2 through 6.0.7, potentially leading to memory issues. Verification of exposure, assessment of operational impacts, and prioritization of patching are crucial.

  • Verification of exposure and potential memory impacts on systems using affected strongSwan versions.
  • Assessment of VPN or cryptographic operation disruptions due to this vulnerability.
  • Prioritization of patching to version 6.1.0 to prevent potential memory issues.
  • Monitoring for potential system instability or performance impacts related to memory management.

Technical summary

The strongSwan openssl plugin is vulnerable to PKCS#7 certificate enumeration, affecting versions 5.0.2 through 6.0.7. This issue can lead to a lack of release of memory after its effective lifetime. The vulnerability has been addressed in version 6.1.0.

Defensive priority

Defenders should prioritize verifying exposure and assessing the impact of this vulnerability on their systems, particularly those using strongSwan for VPN or other cryptographic operations.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Verify if systems using strongSwan 5.0.2 through 6.0.7 are exposed to this vulnerability.
  • Assess the impact of this vulnerability on VPN or other cryptographic operations.
  • Apply patch version 6.1.0 to affected systems.
  • Monitor systems for potential memory issues or other impacts related to this vulnerability.

Evidence notes

The CVE record and NVD entry provide details on the vulnerability, including its description, CVSS score, and affected versions. Vendor advisories and patch information are also available.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2026-78124 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-78124

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2026-78124 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-78124

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

Supplemental references

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://github.com/strongswan/strongswan/releases/tag/6.1.0

    [email protected] - Patch, Release Notes, Vendor Advisory

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.strongswan.org/blog/2026/09/07/strongswan-vulnerability-(cve-2026-78124).html

    [email protected] - Mitigation, Vendor Advisory

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.