GitHub Advisoryadvisory · Go

GHSA-fr8m-434r-g3xp gnark-crypto doesn't range check input values during ECDSA and EdDSA signature deserialization

MEDIUM Published 2025-10-15 Modified 2026-01-22 Official page ↗
Aliases
CVE-2023-44273
Ecosystem
Go
Packages
github.com/consensys/gnark-crypto
Severity
Moderate
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L
Weaknesses
CWE-347
Reviewed
2025-10-15

Affected packages

• Go github.com/consensys/gnark-crypto: < 0.12.0 → fixed in 0.12.0

Description

Impact During deserialization of ECDSA and EdDSA signatures gnark-crypto did not check that the values are in the range `[1, n-1]` with `n` being the corresponding modulus (either base field modulus in case of `R` in EdDSA, and scalar field modulus in case of `s,r` in ECDSA and `s` in EdDSA). As this also allowed zero inputs, then it was possible to craft a signature which lead to null pointer dereference, leading to denial-of-service of an application. This also enabled weak signature malleability when the users assumed uniqueness of the serialized signatures (but not the underlying modulo reduced values). We are not aware of any users impacted by the bug. The implemented signature schemes in gnark-crypto complement the in-circuit versions in gnark, allowing to have end-to-end tests. Patches The issue was patched in PR #449. The fix returns an error during deserialization if the values do not belong to the ranges `[1, n-1]`. The fix is included in release v0.12.0 and upwards. Workarounds Users can manually validate the inputs to be in corresponding ranges when using serialized signatures (or digests of them) as unique keys. To address the denial-of-service, the users can install hook to recover panics and recover Resources • Verichains advisory for signature malleability. • Fix https://github.com/Consensys/gnark-crypto/pull/449 • Go blog post "Defer, Panic, and Recover" • gnark v0.12.0 Acknowledgement Lack of range checks leading to signature malleability was reported by Verichains.

Related

Alias · CVE (1)

  • CVE-2023-44273 Consensys gnark-crypto through 0.11.2 allows Signature Malleability. vulnerability

Weakness · CWE (1)

  • CWE-347 Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature weakness

References