Private-key extraction via unchecked compressed curve points
Published Oct 21, 2024 · Updated Oct 21, 2024
Improper public-key validation in secp256k1-node before 3.8.1, 4.0.0 through 4.0.3, and 5.0.0 allows remote attackers to extract private keys. loadCompressedPublicKey reconstructs a Y coordinate from attacker-controlled X data without verifying that the resulting point lies on secp256k1, admitting low-order points from other curves. After 11 ECDH sessions, predictable outputs reveal enough remainders to recover the private key; the elliptic implementation must process crafted compressed keys.
Summary
What happened
Improper public-key validation in secp256k1-node before 3.8.1, 4.0.0 through 4.0.3, and 5.0.0 allows remote attackers to extract private keys. loadCompressedPublicKey reconstructs a Y coordinate from attacker-controlled X data without verifying that the resulting point lies on secp256k1, admitting low-order points from other curves. After 11 ECDH sessions, predictable outputs reveal enough remainders to recover the private key; the elliptic implementation must process crafted compressed keys.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-48930
- Published
- Oct 21, 2024
- Updated
- Oct 21, 2024
- Vendor
- cryptocoinjs
- Product
- secp256k1-node
- Classifications
- CWE-200, CWE-354, T1552.004
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 21, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 21, 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.
- Affected versionversion=0 <3.8.1
- Affected versionversion=< 3.8.1
- Affected versionversion=>= 4.0.0, < 4.0.4
- Affected versionversion=4.0.0 <4.0.4
- Affected versionversion== 5.0.0
- Affected versionversion=5.0.0
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Low-order compressed-key ECDH proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
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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