Description
Crypto++ 8.3.0 and earlier contains a timing side channel in ECDSA signature generation. This allows a local or remote attacker, able to measure the duration of hundreds to thousands of signing operations, to compute the private key used. The issue occurs because scalar multiplication in ecp.cpp (prime field curves, small leakage) and algebra.cpp (binary field curves, large leakage) is not constant time and leaks the bit length of the scalar among other information.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | libcrypto++ | 5.6.4-9 | — |
| Debian 13 | libcrypto++ | 5.6.4-9 | — |
| Debian 12 | libcrypto++ | 5.6.4-9 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | libcrypto++ | No fix yet | — |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS | libcrypto++ | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS | libcrypto++ | No fix yet | — |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSE Package Hub 15 SP1 | libcryptopp | 5.6.5-bp151.4.3.1 | openSUSE-SU-2019:1968-1 |
| SUSE Package Hub 15 | libcryptopp | 5.6.5-bp151.4.3.1 | openSUSE-SU-2019:1968-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | libcryptopp | 8.6.0-1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2024:10933-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.1 | libcryptopp | 5.6.5-bp151.4.3.1 | openSUSE-SU-2019:1968-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.0 | libcryptopp | 5.6.5-bp151.4.3.1 | openSUSE-SU-2019:1968-1 |
Advisories 2
- openSUSE-SU-2024:10933-1 libcryptopp-devel-8.6.0-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2019:1968-1 Security update for libcryptopp SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
References
- https://eprint.iacr.org/2011/232.pdf
- https://tches.iacr.org/index.php/TCHES/article/view/7337
- https://github.com/weidai11/cryptopp/issues/869
- openSUSE-SU-2019:1968 vendor-advisory
- [oss-security] 20191002 Minerva: ECDSA key recovery from bit-length leakage mailing-list
- https://minerva.crocs.fi.muni.cz/