HIGH
CVE-2016-6489
CWE-203Published: April 14, 2017· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
7.5
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
The RSA and DSA decryption code in Nettle makes it easier for attackers to discover private keys via a cache side channel attack.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2016-6489 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.
A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), with a CVSS base score of 7.5.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Affected Vendors & Products
Canonical1 product(s)
ubuntu linux
nettle_project1 product(s)
nettle
Red Hat4 product(s)
enterprise linux desktopenterprise linux hpc nodeenterprise linux serverenterprise linux workstation
Source: NVD CPE · 9 total CPE entries
Exploit & PoC Resources
NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (16)
→
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2582.htmlThird Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/07/29/7Mailing List · Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3193-1Third Party Advisory
→
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1362016Issue Tracking · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://eprint.iacr.org/2016/596.pdfTechnical Description
→
https://git.lysator.liu.se/nettle/nettle/commit/3fe1d6549765ecfb24f0b80b2ed086fdc818bff3Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201706-21Third Party Advisory
→
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2020.htmlThird Party Advisory
→
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2582.htmlThird Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/07/29/7Mailing List · Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3193-1Third Party Advisory
→
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1362016Issue Tracking · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://eprint.iacr.org/2016/596.pdfTechnical Description
→
https://git.lysator.liu.se/nettle/nettle/commit/3fe1d6549765ecfb24f0b80b2ed086fdc818bff3Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201706-21Third Party Advisory
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2016-6489
CVSS Score7.5 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-203
CISA KEVNo
Affected3 vendor(s)
PublishedApr 14, 2017
Related CVEs (CWE-203)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2016-6489 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.