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Issue summary: A timing side-channel which could...

Moderate severity Unreviewed Published Sep 30, 2025 to the GitHub Advisory Database • Updated Nov 5, 2025

Package

No package listedSuggest a package

Affected versions

Unknown

Patched versions

Unknown

Description

Issue summary: A timing side-channel which could potentially allow remote
recovery of the private key exists in the SM2 algorithm implementation on 64 bit
ARM platforms.

Impact summary: A timing side-channel in SM2 signature computations on 64 bit
ARM platforms could allow recovering the private key by an attacker..

While remote key recovery over a network was not attempted by the reporter,
timing measurements revealed a timing signal which may allow such an attack.

OpenSSL does not directly support certificates with SM2 keys in TLS, and so
this CVE is not relevant in most TLS contexts. However, given that it is
possible to add support for such certificates via a custom provider, coupled
with the fact that in such a custom provider context the private key may be
recoverable via remote timing measurements, we consider this to be a Moderate
severity issue.

The FIPS modules in 3.5, 3.4, 3.3, 3.2, 3.1 and 3.0 are not affected by this
issue, as SM2 is not an approved algorithm.

References

Published by the National Vulnerability Database Sep 30, 2025
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Sep 30, 2025
Last updated Nov 5, 2025

Severity

Moderate

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
Low

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:L

EPSS score

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

This score estimates the probability of this vulnerability being exploited within the next 30 days. Data provided by FIRST.
(2nd percentile)

Weaknesses

Covert Timing Channel

Covert timing channels convey information by modulating some aspect of system behavior over time, so that the program receiving the information can observe system behavior and infer protected information. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2025-9231

GHSA ID

GHSA-9mrx-mqmg-gwj9

Source code

No known source code

Dependabot alerts are not supported on this advisory because it does not have a package from a supported ecosystem with an affected and fixed version.

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