CVE-2024-36405Network attack vector

Secret-key disclosure via compiler-induced timing branch

Published Jun 10, 2024 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Timing side channel in Open Quantum Safe liboqs before 0.10.1 allows remote attackers to recover ML-KEM 512 secret keys. Clang 15 through 18 converts the bit selection in the Kyber reference poly_frommsg function into secret-dependent control flow under affected optimization settings. Exposure requires an x86 build containing that reference code and repeated end-to-end decapsulation timing measurements.

CVSS severity5.9
Medium
EPSS probability0.52%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Timing side channel in Open Quantum Safe liboqs before 0.10.1 allows remote attackers to recover ML-KEM 512 secret keys. Clang 15 through 18 converts the bit selection in the Kyber reference poly_frommsg function into secret-dependent control flow under affected optimization settings. Exposure requires an x86 build containing that reference code and repeated end-to-end decapsulation timing measurements.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-36405
Published
Jun 10, 2024
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
Open Quantum Safe
Product
liboqs
Classifications
CWE-385, CWE-208
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 10, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 2, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <=0.10.0
  2. Affected versionversion=< 0.10.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Open Quantum Safe · liboqsversion=0 <=0.10.0; version=< 0.10.1

Published CVSS scores

5.9GitHub CNACVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/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.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-385Covert Timing Channel
CWE-208Observable Timing Discrepancy

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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