# CVE-2025-32988: GnuTLS double-free in Subject Alternative Name export logic

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2025-32988-gnutls-double-free-in-subject-alternative-name-export-logic  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2025-07-10. Updated: 2026-06-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2025-32988 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.5 · Published 2025-07-10

GnuTLS is a widely used security library that enables encrypted communications for websites and applications. A flaw in how it handles certain certificate data could allow an attacker to crash services or potentially corrupt system memory. This could lead to a service outage or provide a foothold for further malicious activity.

Technologies: [Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/enterprise-linux-10), [Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/enterprise-linux-8), [Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/enterprise-linux-9). Vendors: [Red Hat](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/red-hat).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2025-32988 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2025-32988 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2025-32988?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.5, published 10 July 2025.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 < 3.8.9-9.el10_0.14; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 < 3.6.16-8.el8_10.4; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 < 3.8.3-6.el9_6.2.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2025-32988?** A patch was published on 2025-07-08: GnuTLS 3.8.10 released with fix Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2025-32988 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2025-32988?** Check whether you run Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 or Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

A double-free vulnerability exists in GnuTLS due to incorrect ownership handling in the export logic of Subject Alternative Name (SAN) entries containing an 'otherName'. When a malformed or invalid type-id OID is encountered, GnuTLS incorrectly calls asn1_delete_structure() on an ASN.1 node it does not own. This results in a double-free condition when the caller subsequently attempts to free the same structure. The flaw can be triggered via public GnuTLS APIs, and while it primarily results in a denial of service (crash), it may lead to memory corruption depending on the system's memory allocator behavior. The issue is resolved in GnuTLS version 3.8.10 and various vendor-specific patches.

## Affected products

- GnuTLS Project GnuTLS < 3.8.10
- Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 < 3.6.16-8.el8_10.4
- Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 < 3.8.3-6.el9_6.2
- Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 < 3.8.9-9.el10_0.14

## Timeline

- 2025-07-08: patched: GnuTLS 3.8.10 released with fix
- 2025-07-10: disclosed: CVE-2025-32988 published
- 2025-09-17: advisory: Red Hat issued security advisories RHSA-2025:16115 and RHSA-2025:16116

## References

- [https://www.gnutls.org/](https://www.gnutls.org/)
- [https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/](https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/)
- [https://catalog.redhat.com/software/containers/](https://catalog.redhat.com/software/containers/)
- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2025:16115](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2025:16115)
- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2025:16116](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2025:16116)
- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2025:17181](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2025:17181)
- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2025:17348](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2025:17348)

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