CVE-2019-10764 in elliptic-php
Summary
by MITRE
In elliptic-php versions priot to 1.0.6, Timing attacks might be possible which can result in practical recovery of the long-term private key generated by the library under certain conditions. Leakage of a bit-length of the scalar during scalar multiplication is possible on an elliptic curve which might allow practical recovery of the long-term private key.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2019-10764 affects the elliptic-php library, a PHP implementation of elliptic curve cryptography operations. This security flaw represents a significant concern for cryptographic systems that rely on this library for secure key generation and cryptographic operations. The vulnerability specifically targets the scalar multiplication process within elliptic curve cryptography, which is a fundamental operation in elliptic curve cryptography implementations. The issue arises from timing variations in the cryptographic operations that can be exploited by attackers to gain information about the private key.
The technical flaw manifests as a timing attack vulnerability that occurs during scalar multiplication operations on elliptic curves. When performing scalar multiplication, the library exhibits different execution times based on the input values, particularly the scalar bits being processed. This timing variation creates information leakage that can be measured and analyzed by an attacker. The vulnerability allows for the practical recovery of long-term private keys when attackers can observe the timing characteristics of cryptographic operations performed by the library. The attack is particularly effective when the attacker can perform multiple observations of the same cryptographic operation under similar conditions, enabling statistical analysis to infer the private key bits.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability compromises the fundamental security assumptions of elliptic curve cryptography implementations. The ability to recover long-term private keys through timing attacks means that systems relying on elliptic-php for cryptographic operations are at risk of complete compromise. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality and integrity of cryptographic communications, potentially allowing unauthorized access to encrypted data, digital signatures, and authentication systems. Organizations using this library for secure communications, digital signatures, or key exchange mechanisms face significant risk of credential theft and data breaches. The practical nature of the attack means that it is not merely theoretical but represents a real threat to cryptographic security in production environments.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-310, which specifically addresses "Cryptographic Issues" and encompasses timing attacks that leak information about cryptographic keys. This weakness falls under the broader category of side-channel attacks that exploit implementation details rather than mathematical weaknesses in cryptographic algorithms. The attack pattern corresponds to techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the "Credential Access" and "Defense Evasion" tactics, where adversaries can leverage timing variations to extract sensitive cryptographic information. Organizations should implement mitigations such as constant-time implementations of scalar multiplication algorithms, which eliminate timing variations in cryptographic operations. Additionally, regular security updates and patches to version 1.0.6 or later of the elliptic-php library are essential to address the vulnerability. System administrators should also consider implementing monitoring for unusual timing patterns in cryptographic operations and conduct security assessments to identify systems using vulnerable versions of the library.