CVE-2020-6861Public exploit

Spend-key extraction via cryptographic type confusion

Published May 6, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Protocol flaw in the Ledger Monero app before 1.5.1 allows local users to extract the private spend key through a malicious client. The monero_apdu_derive_secret_key handler substitutes the spend-key placeholder into an encrypted scalar, while monero_apdu_mlsag_sign accepts a type-confused encrypted zero and returns the resulting scalar unencrypted. The attacker needs a PIN-unlocked Ledger with the Monero app selected and connected to a controlled host; key recovery enables unauthorized wallet spending.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.44%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Protocol flaw in the Ledger Monero app before 1.5.1 allows local users to extract the private spend key through a malicious client. The monero_apdu_derive_secret_key handler substitutes the spend-key placeholder into an encrypted scalar, while monero_apdu_mlsag_sign accepts a type-confused encrypted zero and returns the resulting scalar unencrypted. The attacker needs a PIN-unlocked Ledger with the Monero app selected and connected to a controlled host; key recovery enables unauthorized wallet spending.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-6861
Published
May 6, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-327, T1552.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 6, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

2.1NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-327Use of a Broken or Risky Cryptographic Algorithm
T1552.004Unsecured Credentials Private Keys

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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