github-actions[bot] opened issue #14760:
Buffered application data sent to outer server after ECH rejection
Details Package rustlsVersion 0.23.45URL https://github.com/rustls/rustls/pull/3300 Date 2026-10-14 Patched versions >=0.23.46Unaffected versions <0.23.44When a server rejects Encrypted Client Hello (ECH), the client completes the
handshake using the outer ClientHello and authenticates the server against the
ECH config'spublic_name. At the end of that handshake, rustls encrypted and
queued any application data buffered viaClientConnection::writer()before
queueing theech_requiredalert.The application correctly receives
Error::PeerIncompatible(ServerRejectedEncryptedClientHello), but the next
write_tls()call (needed to send the alert) also sends the buffered
application data. Plaintext meant for the inner server therefore goes to the
client-facing server named bypublic_name.That server is authenticated, so this is not exploitable by an unauthenticated
party, but it violates RFC 9849 section 6.1.6, which requires the client to
abort withech_required"before sending any application data to the server".This affects only clients that:
- use
EchMode::Enable(GREASE ECH is not affected),- write application data before the handshake completes, and
- connect to a server that rejects their ECH config (for example, because it is stale).
The underlying ordering bug is older, but before 0.23.44 the client checked
the server certificate against the inner server name rather thanpublic_name,
so certificate verification failed first and no data was sent.See advisory page for additional details.
alexcrichton closed issue #14760:
Buffered application data sent to outer server after ECH rejection
Details Package rustlsVersion 0.23.45URL https://github.com/rustls/rustls/pull/3300 Date 2026-10-14 Patched versions >=0.23.46Unaffected versions <0.23.44When a server rejects Encrypted Client Hello (ECH), the client completes the
handshake using the outer ClientHello and authenticates the server against the
ECH config'spublic_name. At the end of that handshake, rustls encrypted and
queued any application data buffered viaClientConnection::writer()before
queueing theech_requiredalert.The application correctly receives
Error::PeerIncompatible(ServerRejectedEncryptedClientHello), but the next
write_tls()call (needed to send the alert) also sends the buffered
application data. Plaintext meant for the inner server therefore goes to the
client-facing server named bypublic_name.That server is authenticated, so this is not exploitable by an unauthenticated
party, but it violates RFC 9849 section 6.1.6, which requires the client to
abort withech_required"before sending any application data to the server".This affects only clients that:
- use
EchMode::Enable(GREASE ECH is not affected),- write application data before the handshake completes, and
- connect to a server that rejects their ECH config (for example, because it is stale).
The underlying ordering bug is older, but before 0.23.44 the client checked
the server certificate against the inner server name rather thanpublic_name,
so certificate verification failed first and no data was sent.See advisory page for additional details.
Last updated: Oct 31 2026 at 23:03 UTC