CVE-2018-0735 : What You Need to Know

A timing side channel attack has exposed a vulnerability in the ECDSA signature algorithm implemented by OpenSSL. This CVE affects versions 1.1.0 to 1.1.0i and 1.1.1 of OpenSSL.

Understanding CVE-2018-0735

This CVE involves a timing attack against ECDSA signature generation in OpenSSL.

What is CVE-2018-0735?

A timing side channel attack has revealed a vulnerability in the ECDSA signature algorithm of OpenSSL, potentially allowing an attacker to retrieve the private key by exploiting differences in the signing algorithm.

The Impact of CVE-2018-0735

The impact of this vulnerability is rated as Low according to OpenSSL's security policy.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-0735

This section provides technical details about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The OpenSSL ECDSA signature algorithm is susceptible to a timing side channel attack, enabling an attacker to recover the private key.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected versions include OpenSSL 1.1.0 to 1.1.0i and 1.1.1

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited through variations in the signing algorithm to retrieve the private key.

Mitigation and Prevention

Measures to address and prevent exploitation of CVE-2018-0735.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update OpenSSL to version 1.1.0j for versions 1.1.0 to 1.1.0i, and version 1.1.1a for version 1.1.1

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement constant time algorithms to mitigate timing attacks

Patching and Updates

Regularly update OpenSSL to the latest secure versions