github - ghsa-3wfh-36rx-9537

GHSA-3WFH-36RX-9537

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-09-16 22:20 – Updated: 2025-09-22 21:58

Summary

Timing Attack Vulnerability in SCRAM Authentication

Details

Impact

A timing attack vulnerability exists in the SCRAM Java implementation. The issue arises because Arrays.equals was used to compare secret values such as client proofs and server signatures. Since Arrays.equals performs a short-circuit comparison, the execution time varies depending on how many leading bytes match. This behavior could allow an attacker to perform a timing side-channel attack and potentially infer sensitive authentication material. All users relying on SCRAM authentication are impacted.

Patches

This vulnerability has been patched by replacing Arrays.equals with MessageDigest.isEqual, which ensures constant-time comparison.

Users should upgrade to version 3.2 or later to mitigate this issue.

Workarounds

Because the attack requires high precision and repeated attempts, the risk is limited, but the only reliable mitigation is to upgrade to a patched release (version 3.2 or later).

References

Java MessageDigest.isEqual Documentation

Severity ?

6.6 (Medium)


                  
                    CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U

Show details on source website

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{
  "affected": [
    {
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "Maven",
        "name": "com.ongres.scram:scram-common"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "3.2"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2025-59432"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-208",
      "CWE-385"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2025-09-16T22:20:08Z",
    "nvd_published_at": "2025-09-22T20:15:38Z",
    "severity": "MODERATE"
  },
  "details": "### Impact\n\nA timing attack vulnerability exists in the SCRAM Java implementation. The issue arises because `Arrays.equals` was used to compare secret values such as client proofs and server signatures. Since `Arrays.equals` performs a short-circuit comparison, the execution time varies depending on how many leading bytes match. This behavior could allow an attacker to perform a timing side-channel attack and potentially infer sensitive authentication material. All users relying on SCRAM authentication are impacted.\n\n### Patches\n\nThis vulnerability has been patched by replacing `Arrays.equals` with `MessageDigest.isEqual`, which ensures constant-time comparison.\n\nUsers should upgrade to version **3.2** or later to mitigate this issue.\n\n### Workarounds\n\nBecause the attack requires high precision and repeated attempts, the risk is limited, but the only reliable mitigation is to upgrade to a patched release (version 3.2 or later).\n\n### References\n\n- [Java `MessageDigest.isEqual` Documentation](https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/25/docs/api/java.base/java/security/MessageDigest.html#isEqual(byte[],byte[]))",
  "id": "GHSA-3wfh-36rx-9537",
  "modified": "2025-09-22T21:58:53Z",
  "published": "2025-09-16T22:20:08Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/ongres/scram/security/advisories/GHSA-3wfh-36rx-9537"
    },
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-59432"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/ongres/scram/commit/f04975680d4a67bc84cc6c61bbffd5186223e2e2"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/25/docs/api/java.base/java/security/MessageDigest.html#isEqual(byte%5B%5D,byte%5B%5D)"
    },
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://github.com/ongres/scram"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U",
      "type": "CVSS_V4"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "Timing Attack Vulnerability in SCRAM Authentication"
}

CVE-2025-59432 (GCVE-0-2025-59432)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2025-09-22 19:22 – Updated: 2025-09-22 19:40

Summary

SCRAM (Salted Challenge Response Authentication Mechanism) is part of the family of Simple Authentication and Security Layer (SASL, RFC 4422) authentication mechanisms. Prior to version 3.2, a timing attack vulnerability exists in the SCRAM Java implementation. The issue arises because Arrays.equals was used to compare secret values such as client proofs and server signatures. Since Arrays.equals performs a short-circuit comparison, the execution time varies depending on how many leading bytes match. This behavior could allow an attacker to perform a timing side-channel attack and potentially infer sensitive authentication material. All users relying on SCRAM authentication are impacted. This vulnerability has been patched in version 3.1 by replacing Arrays.equals with MessageDigest.isEqual, which ensures constant-time comparison.

Severity ?

6.6 (Medium)


                        
                          CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U

CWE

CWE-208 - Observable Timing Discrepancy
CWE-385 - Covert Timing Channel

Assigner

GitHub_M

References

URL

Tags

	https://github.com/ongres/scram/security/advisori…	x_refsource_CONFIRM
	https://github.com/ongres/scram/commit/f04975680d…	x_refsource_MISC
	https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/25/docs/ap…	x_refsource_MISC

Impacted products

	Vendor	Product	Version
	ongres	scram	Affected: < 3.2

Show details on NVD website

JSON

To clipboard

{
  "containers": {
    "adp": [
      {
        "metrics": [
          {
            "other": {
              "content": {
                "id": "CVE-2025-59432",
                "options": [
                  {
                    "Exploitation": "none"
                  },
                  {
                    "Automatable": "yes"
                  },
                  {
                    "Technical Impact": "partial"
                  }
                ],
                "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                "timestamp": "2025-09-22T19:39:54.878581Z",
                "version": "2.0.3"
              },
              "type": "ssvc"
            }
          }
        ],
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2025-09-22T19:40:11.294Z",
          "orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
          "shortName": "CISA-ADP"
        },
        "title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
      }
    ],
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "product": "scram",
          "vendor": "ongres",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "\u003c 3.2"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "SCRAM (Salted Challenge Response Authentication Mechanism) is part of the family of Simple Authentication and Security Layer (SASL, RFC 4422) authentication mechanisms. Prior to version 3.2, a timing attack vulnerability exists in the SCRAM Java implementation. The issue arises because Arrays.equals was used to compare secret values such as client proofs and server signatures. Since Arrays.equals performs a short-circuit comparison, the execution time varies depending on how many leading bytes match. This behavior could allow an attacker to perform a timing side-channel attack and potentially infer sensitive authentication material. All users relying on SCRAM authentication are impacted. This vulnerability has been patched in version 3.1 by replacing Arrays.equals with MessageDigest.isEqual, which ensures constant-time comparison."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV4_0": {
            "attackComplexity": "LOW",
            "attackRequirements": "NONE",
            "attackVector": "NETWORK",
            "baseScore": 6.6,
            "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
            "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
            "subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE",
            "subConfidentialityImpact": "NONE",
            "subIntegrityImpact": "NONE",
            "userInteraction": "NONE",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U",
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            "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
            "vulnIntegrityImpact": "NONE"
          }
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      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
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              "description": "CWE-208: Observable Timing Discrepancy",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
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        },
        {
          "descriptions": [
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              "description": "CWE-385: Covert Timing Channel",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2025-09-22T19:22:37.117Z",
        "orgId": "a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa",
        "shortName": "GitHub_M"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/ongres/scram/security/advisories/GHSA-3wfh-36rx-9537",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_CONFIRM"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/ongres/scram/security/advisories/GHSA-3wfh-36rx-9537"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/ongres/scram/commit/f04975680d4a67bc84cc6c61bbffd5186223e2e2",
          "tags": [
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          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/ongres/scram/commit/f04975680d4a67bc84cc6c61bbffd5186223e2e2"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/25/docs/api/java.base/java/security/MessageDigest.html#isEqual(byte%5B%5D,byte%5B%5D)",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/25/docs/api/java.base/java/security/MessageDigest.html#isEqual(byte%5B%5D,byte%5B%5D)"
        }
      ],
      "source": {
        "advisory": "GHSA-3wfh-36rx-9537",
        "discovery": "UNKNOWN"
      },
      "title": "Timing Attack Vulnerability in SCRAM Authentication"
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa",
    "assignerShortName": "GitHub_M",
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    "datePublished": "2025-09-22T19:22:37.117Z",
    "dateReserved": "2025-09-15T19:13:16.905Z",
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    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.1"
}

Sightings

Author	Source	Type	Date

Nomenclature

Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.

Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.

Action not permitted

GHSA-3WFH-36RX-9537

Impact

Patches

Workarounds

References

CVE-2025-59432 (GCVE-0-2025-59432)

Tags

Sightings

Nomenclature