CVE-2021-43398
Publication date 4 November 2021
Last updated 4 August 2025
Ubuntu priority
Description
Crypto++ (aka Cryptopp) 8.6.0 and earlier contains a timing leakage in MakePublicKey(). There is a clear correlation between execution time and private key length, which may cause disclosure of the length information of the private key. This might allow attackers to conduct timing attacks. NOTE: this report is disputed by the vendor and multiple third parties. The execution-time differences are intentional. A user may make a choice of a longer key as a tradeoff between strength and performance. In making this choice, the amount of information leaked to an adversary is of infinitesimal value
Status
| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
|---|---|---|
| libcrypto++ | 24.04 LTS noble |
Not affected
|
| 22.04 LTS jammy |
Not affected
|
|
| 20.04 LTS focal |
Not affected
|
|
| 18.04 LTS bionic |
Not affected
|
|
| 16.04 LTS xenial |
Not affected
|
|
| 14.04 LTS trusty |
Not affected
|
Severity score breakdown
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Base score |
5.3 · Medium
|
| Attack vector | Network |
| Attack complexity | Low |
| Privileges required | None |
| User interaction | None |
| Scope | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | Low |
| Integrity impact | None |
| Availability impact | None |
| Vector | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N |