int ASN1_item_verify(const ASN1_ITEM *it, X509_ALGOR *a,
		ASN1_BIT_STRING *signature, void *asn, EVP_PKEY *pkey)
	{
	EVP_MD_CTX ctx;
	unsigned char *buf_in=NULL;
	int ret= -1,inl;
 
        int mdnid, pknid;
 
       if (!pkey)
               {
               ASN1err(ASN1_F_ASN1_ITEM_VERIFY, ERR_R_PASSED_NULL_PARAMETER);
               return -1;
               }

        EVP_MD_CTX_init(&ctx);
 
        /* Convert signature OID into digest and public key OIDs */
		{
		if (!pkey->ameth || !pkey->ameth->item_verify)
			{
			ASN1err(ASN1_F_ASN1_ITEM_VERIFY,ASN1_R_UNKNOWN_SIGNATURE_ALGORITHM);
			goto err;
			}
		ret = pkey->ameth->item_verify(&ctx, it, asn, a,
							signature, pkey);
		/* Return value of 2 means carry on, anything else means we
		 * exit straight away: either a fatal error of the underlying
		 * verification routine handles all verification.
		 */
		if (ret != 2)
			goto err;
		ret = -1;
		}
	else
		{
		const EVP_MD *type;
		type=EVP_get_digestbynid(mdnid);
		if (type == NULL)
			{
			ASN1err(ASN1_F_ASN1_ITEM_VERIFY,ASN1_R_UNKNOWN_MESSAGE_DIGEST_ALGORITHM);
			goto err;
			}

		/* Check public key OID matches public key type */
		if (EVP_PKEY_type(pknid) != pkey->ameth->pkey_id)
			{
			ASN1err(ASN1_F_ASN1_ITEM_VERIFY,ASN1_R_WRONG_PUBLIC_KEY_TYPE);
			goto err;
			}

		if (!EVP_DigestVerifyInit(&ctx, NULL, type, NULL, pkey))
			{
			ASN1err(ASN1_F_ASN1_ITEM_VERIFY,ERR_R_EVP_LIB);
			ret=0;
			goto err;
			}

		}

	inl = ASN1_item_i2d(asn, &buf_in, it);
	
	if (buf_in == NULL)
		{
		ASN1err(ASN1_F_ASN1_ITEM_VERIFY,ERR_R_MALLOC_FAILURE);
		goto err;
		}

	if (!EVP_DigestVerifyUpdate(&ctx,buf_in,inl))
		{
		ASN1err(ASN1_F_ASN1_ITEM_VERIFY,ERR_R_EVP_LIB);
		ret=0;
		goto err;
		}

	OPENSSL_cleanse(buf_in,(unsigned int)inl);
	OPENSSL_free(buf_in);

	if (EVP_DigestVerifyFinal(&ctx,signature->data,
			(size_t)signature->length) <= 0)
		{
		ASN1err(ASN1_F_ASN1_ITEM_VERIFY,ERR_R_EVP_LIB);
		ret=0;
		goto err;
		}
	/* we don't need to zero the 'ctx' because we just checked
	 * public information */
	/* memset(&ctx,0,sizeof(ctx)); */
	ret=1;
err:
	EVP_MD_CTX_cleanup(&ctx);
	return(ret);
	}

This weakness pertains to the use of cryptographic functions that are weak, misconfigured, or outdated, which undermines the intended protection of encrypted data and communications.