FKIE_CVE-2025-48946

Vulnerability from fkie_nvd - Published: 2025-05-30 20:15 - Updated: 2025-08-25 14:06
Severity ?
3.7 (Low) - CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Summary
liboqs is a C-language cryptographic library that provides implementations of post-quantum cryptography algorithms. liboqs prior to version 0.13.0 supports the HQC algorithm, an algorithm with a theoretical design flaw which leads to large numbers of malformed ciphertexts sharing the same implicit rejection value. Currently, no concrete attack on the algorithm is known. However, prospective users of HQC must take extra care when using the algorithm in protocols involving key derivation. In particular, HQC does not provide the same security guarantees as Kyber or ML-KEM. There is currently no patch for the HQC flaw available in liboqs, so HQC is disabled by default in liboqs starting from version 0.13.0. OQS will update its implementation after the HQC team releases an updated algorithm specification.
References
security-advisories@github.comhttps://durumcrustulum.com/2024/02/24/how-to-hold-kems/#hqcProduct
security-advisories@github.comhttps://github.com/open-quantum-safe/liboqs/commit/a7d698ca9c9d98990647459253183cbe29c550afPatch
security-advisories@github.comhttps://github.com/open-quantum-safe/liboqs/security/advisories/GHSA-3rxw-4v8q-9gq5Vendor Advisory
security-advisories@github.comhttps://groups.google.com/a/list.nist.gov/g/pqc-forum/c/Wiu4ZQo3fP80Issue Tracking, Mailing List
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version
openquantumsafe liboqs *
To clipboard 

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              "versionEndExcluding": "0.13.0",
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  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "liboqs is a C-language cryptographic library that provides implementations of post-quantum cryptography algorithms. liboqs prior to version 0.13.0 supports the HQC algorithm, an algorithm with a theoretical design flaw which leads to large numbers of malformed ciphertexts sharing the same implicit rejection value. Currently, no concrete attack on the algorithm is known. However, prospective users of HQC must take extra care when using the algorithm in protocols involving key derivation. In particular, HQC does not provide the same security guarantees as Kyber or ML-KEM. There is currently no patch for the HQC flaw available in liboqs, so HQC is disabled by default in liboqs starting from version 0.13.0. OQS will update its implementation after the HQC team releases an updated algorithm specification."
    },
    {
      "lang": "es",
      "value": "liboqs es una librer\u00eda criptogr\u00e1fica en lenguaje C que proporciona implementaciones de algoritmos de criptograf\u00eda poscu\u00e1ntica. Las versiones anteriores a la 0.13.0 de liboqs son compatibles con el algoritmo HQC, un algoritmo con un fallo de dise\u00f1o te\u00f3rico que provoca que un gran n\u00famero de textos cifrados malformados compartan el mismo valor de rechazo impl\u00edcito. Actualmente, no se conoce ning\u00fan ataque concreto contra el algoritmo. Sin embargo, los futuros usuarios de HQC deben tener especial cuidado al utilizarlo en protocolos que impliquen derivaci\u00f3n de claves. En particular, HQC no ofrece las mismas garant\u00edas de seguridad que Kyber o ML-KEM. Actualmente no hay un parche disponible en liboqs para el fallo de HQC, por lo que HQC est\u00e1 deshabilitado por defecto a partir de la versi\u00f3n 0.13.0. OQS actualizar\u00e1 su implementaci\u00f3n despu\u00e9s de que el equipo de HQC publique una especificaci\u00f3n actualizada del algoritmo."
    }
  ],
  "id": "CVE-2025-48946",
  "lastModified": "2025-08-25T14:06:29.650",
  "metrics": {
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          "attackComplexity": "HIGH",
          "attackVector": "NETWORK",
          "availabilityImpact": "NONE",
          "baseScore": 3.7,
          "baseSeverity": "LOW",
          "confidentialityImpact": "LOW",
          "integrityImpact": "NONE",
          "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N",
          "version": "3.1"
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        "impactScore": 1.4,
        "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
        "type": "Secondary"
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  "published": "2025-05-30T20:15:43.710",
  "references": [
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      "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
      "tags": [
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  "vulnStatus": "Analyzed",
  "weaknesses": [
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          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-327"
        }
      ],
      "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
      "type": "Secondary"
    }
  ]
}


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