CVE-2017-3737
MEDIUMEPSS 100th pctlDescription
OpenSSL 1.0.2 (starting from version 1.0.2b) introduced an "error state" mechanism. The intent was that if a fatal error occurred during a handshake then OpenSSL would move into the error state and would immediately fail if you attempted to continue the handshake. This works as designed for the explicit handshake functions (SSL_do_handshake(), SSL_accept() and SSL_connect()), however due to a bug it does not work correctly if SSL_read() or SSL_write() is called directly. In that scenario, if the handshake fails then a fatal error will be returned in the initial function call. If SSL_read()/SSL_write() is subsequently called by the application for the same SSL object then it will succeed and the data is passed without being decrypted/encrypted directly from the SSL/TLS record layer. In order to exploit this issue an application bug would have to be present that resulted in a call to SSL_read()/SSL_write() being issued after having already received a fatal error. OpenSSL version 1.0.2b-1.0.2m are affected. Fixed in OpenSSL 1.0.2n. OpenSSL 1.1.0 is not affected.
How to fix
TridentStack Control can deploy fixes like this automatically across your Windows, macOS, and Linux fleet. See how it works
Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Exploit Intelligence
Very high risk: more likely to be exploited than 100% of all known CVEs.
References
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read) vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2014-0160 | High | 7.5 | 100% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2025-5777 | High | 7.5 | 100% | KEV + Ransom | Fix |
| CVE-2021-4034 | High | 7.8 | 95% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2020-8794 | Critical | 9.8 | 89% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2023-49285 | High | 8.6 | 89% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2023-21769 | High | 7.5 | 89% | - | Fix |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2017-3737?
Published advisories record a fix for 3 affected products. The "How to fix" section on this page lists the fixed version and source advisory for each one, so apply the entry matching what you actually run.
Is CVE-2017-3737 being actively exploited?
Not that we know of. CVE-2017-3737 is not in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Its EPSS score of 78.7% is the estimated probability that it will be exploited in the next 30 days. That is higher than 100% of all scored CVEs.
How severe is CVE-2017-3737?
CVE-2017-3737 has a CVSS v3 base score of 5.9, rated medium. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
What does CVE-2017-3737 affect?
Published advisories record a fix for openssl (Debian), libssl1.0.0 (Ubuntu), openssl (Ubuntu). Only products with a sourced advisory are listed, so treat this as what we can cite rather than a complete inventory.
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This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2026-05-13.