Missing value barrier in liboqs FrodoKEM implicit rejection path
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · None · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
liboqs, a C library of post-quantum cryptography algorithms, is affected before 0.16.0. The ct_select function in src/kem/frodokem/external/util.c for the FrodoKEM-640, FrodoKEM-976, and FrodoKEM-1344 AES and SHAKE reference variants lacks a value barrier in the Fujisaki-Okamoto implicit-rejection path. When built with Clang 17 or later at affected optimization levels such as -Os, the compiler can emit a secret-dependent conditional load, so successful and failed decapsulation leave distinguishable cache residency. A local attacker making repeated cache-timing measurements may use this as part of a private-key recovery attack; default -O3 builds do not show the behavior.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Description from the CNA
liboqs is a C-language cryptographic library that provides implementations of post-quantum cryptography algorithms. Prior to 0.16.0, the ct_select function in src/kem/frodokem/external/util.c for the FrodoKEM-640, FrodoKEM-976, and FrodoKEM-1344 AES and SHAKE reference variants lacks a value barrier in the Fujisaki-Okamoto implicit-rejection path. When compiled with Clang 17 or later at an affected optimization level such as -Os, the compiler can emit a secret-dependent conditional load, causing the real and rejection secret paths to leave distinguishable cache residency after successful and failed decapsulation. A local attacker able to perform repeated cache-timing measurements may use this oracle as part of a private-key recovery attack. Default -O3 builds vectorize both source loads and do not exhibit the reported behavior, and the advisory does not report the same generated memory-access pattern in NTRU, NTRU-Prime, BIKE, HQC, Classic McEliece, Kyber, or the already-barriered ML-KEM implementation. This issue is fixed in version 0.16.0.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| open-quantum-safe | liboqs | before 0.16.0 | 0.16.0 | Patch available | CNA |
- liboqs Vendoropen-quantum-safe Affected before 0.16.0 Fixed in 0.16.0 Patch available CNA
CPE names Threatist (inferred) · 1
Inferred from how NVD named this product before; not given by a source.
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:openquantumsafe:liboqs:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | — | — | open-quantum-safe |
- cpe:2.3:a:openquantumsafe:liboqs:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions — — ·open-quantum-safe
Remediation
Update liboqs to version 0.16.0. The sources list no fixed version for other liboqs releases.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA liboqs (open-quantum-safe) Fixed in 0.16.0
Timeline
- 2026-11-06 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-44519
References
More open-quantum-safe vulnerabilities
- TI-2024-20867 An issue in Open Quantum Safe liboqs v.10.0 allows a remote attacker to escalate… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2024-24817 Buffer overflow in deserialization in oqs-provider CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.2
- TI-2024-36253 liboqs has a correctness error in HQC decapsulation CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2024-24191 Control-flow timing leak in Kyber reference implementation when compiled with Clang 15-18 for -Os, -O1 and other options CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2026-34064 liboqs: Heap-buffer-overflow in XMSS verification path via OID-controlled parameter mismatch (xmss_commons.c:194) CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.3
- TI-2026-32448 liboqs: XMSS Buffer Overread Bug CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.3
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences