CVE-2018-1000180: Bouncy Castle Low-level RSA Key Pair Generator Flaw
Summary
CVE-2018-1000180: Bouncy Castle has a flaw in the Low-level interface to RSA key pair generator. Affects org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk14 versions < 1.60. Fixed in 1.60. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
- bouncycastle · Debian:11
The same CVE-2018-1000180 is tracked separately for each ecosystem and vendor. Its fix information is the same; the package and affected versions differ.
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Background
Bouncy Castle is an open-source cryptographic library that provides various cryptographic algorithms and protocols. It is widely used in Java applications for secure communication and data encryption. The library includes a low-level interface for generating RSA key pairs, which is used by many applications for cryptographic operations. However, versions BC 1.54 - 1.59, BC-FJA 1.0.0, BC-FJA 1.0.1, and earlier have a flaw in this low-level interface that affects the generation of RSA key pairs with added certainty. This flaw results in RSA key pairs having fewer M-R tests than expected, potentially weakening the security of the generated keys. The vulnerability has been assigned CVE-2018-1000180 and has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High).
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in Bouncy Castle's low-level interface to RSA key pair generator allows RSA key pairs generated with added certainty to have fewer M-R tests than expected. This means that the generated keys may have weaker cryptographic properties than intended, potentially making them more susceptible to attacks. The issue has been fixed in versions BC 1.60 beta 4 and later, as well as BC-FJA 1.0.2 and later.
How To Fix
Latest published version: 1.86 as of 22 Oct 2026
Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
1.60
This is the first release that contains the fix.
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Workaround
There is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is necessary to update the Bouncy Castle library to a fixed version.
Conclusion
The vulnerability in Bouncy Castle's low-level RSA key pair generator can result in weaker RSA key pairs, potentially compromising the security of cryptographic operations. It is crucial to update the affected Bouncy Castle library to version 1.60 or later to fix this vulnerability. For further support on vulnerability remediation, you can contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk14 →
FAQ
Bouncy Castle is an open-source cryptographic library for Java applications that provides various cryptographic algorithms and protocols.
The vulnerability in the low-level RSA key pair generator of Bouncy Castle can result in weaker RSA key pairs, potentially compromising the security of cryptographic operations that rely on these keys.
You can use the Vulert Playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability. Simply provide your pom.xml file, and Vulert will analyze it for any open-source vulnerabilities, including this one.
There are no known exploits for this vulnerability at the moment. However, it is recommended to update the Bouncy Castle library to the fixed version to mitigate any potential risks.
You can find more information about this vulnerability, including the CVE identifier and the fix, in the GitHub Advisory Database at the following link: https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2018/10/GHSA-xqj7-j8j5-f2xr/GHSA-xqj7-j8j5-f2xr.json
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk14.
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