CVE-2016-6489
The RSA and DSA decryption code in Nettle makes it easier for attackers to discover private keys...
CVE-2016-6489 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.5) in Nettle Project Nettle, published August 1, 2016. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 5.01%, the 92nd percentile. Fixed in nettle 3.3-1.
The RSA and DSA decryption code in Nettle makes it easier for attackers to discover private keys via a cache side channel attack.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
The RSA and DSA decryption code in Nettle makes it easier for attackers to discover private keys via a cache side channel attack.
- Record
CVE-2016-6489- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - CVSS 2.0
- 5.0 Medium
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-203
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
The RSA and DSA decryption code in Nettle makes it easier for attackers to discover private keys via a cache side channel attack.
- Record
CVE-2016-6489- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2016-7411 No score
The RSA and DSA decryption code in Nettle makes it easier for attackers to discover private keys via a cache side channel attack.
- Record
EUVD-2016-7411- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-m9gx-jgm7-m42g
The RSA and DSA decryption code in Nettle makes it easier for attackers to discover private keys...
The RSA and DSA decryption code in Nettle makes it easier for attackers to discover private keys via a cache side channel attack.
- Record
GHSA-m9gx-jgm7-m42g- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-203
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
The RSA and DSA decryption code in Nettle makes it easier for attackers to discover private keys via a cache side channel attack.
- Record
CVE-2016-6489- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2016-6489
The RSA and DSA decryption code in Nettle makes it easier for attackers to discover private keys via a cache side channel attack.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2016-6489- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Show 6 moreShow less
OSVRHSA-2016:2582
Red Hat Security Advisory: nettle security and bug fix update
- Record
RHSA-2016:2582- CVSS 3.0
- 7.4 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2016-6489
The RSA and DSA decryption code in Nettle makes it easier for attackers to discover private keys via a cache side channel attack.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2016-6489- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - CVSS 3.0
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVMGASA-2016-0290 No score
Updated nettle/nettle2.7 packages fix security vulnerability
The cryptographic library nettle had a potential information leak problem reported. RSA code is vulnerable to cache sharing related attacks (CVE-2016-6489).
- Record
MGASA-2016-0290- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2024:10339-1 No score
libhogweed4-3.3-1.1 on GA media
These are all security issues fixed in the libhogweed4-3.3-1.1 package on the GA media of openSUSE Tumbleweed.
- Record
openSUSE-SU-2024:10339-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVSUSE-SU-2017:1481-1 No score
Security update for libnettle
This update for libnettle fixes the following issues:
- CVE-2016-6489:
- Reject invalid RSA keys with even modulo.
- Check for invalid keys, with even p, in dsa_sign().
- Use function mpz_powm_sec() instead of mpz_powm() (bsc#991464).
- Record
SUSE-SU-2017:1481-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUSN-3193-1 No score
nettle vulnerability
It was discovered that Nettle incorrectly mitigated certain timing side-channel attacks. A remote attacker could possibly use this flaw to recover private keys.
- Record
USN-3193-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
nettleDebian:12 |
before 3.3-1 | 3.3-1 |
nettleDebian:13 |
before 3.3-1 | 3.3-1 |
nettleDebian:14 |
before 3.3-1 | 3.3-1 |
nettleDebian:7 |
before 2.4-3+deb7u1, plus listed versions 2.4-3 |
2.4-3+deb7u1 |
nettle2.7Mageia:5 |
before 2.7.1-6.2.mga5 | 2.7.1-6.2.mga5 |
nettleMageia:5 |
before 3.0-3.2.mga5 | 3.0-3.2.mga5 |
nettle-debuginfoRed Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client |
before 0:2.7.1-8.el7 | 0:2.7.1-8.el7 |
nettle-develRed Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client |
before 0:2.7.1-8.el7 | 0:2.7.1-8.el7 |
nettleRed Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client |
before 0:2.7.1-8.el7 | 0:2.7.1-8.el7 |
nettle-debuginfoRed Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode |
before 0:2.7.1-8.el7 | 0:2.7.1-8.el7 |
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| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
nettle-develRed Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode |
before 0:2.7.1-8.el7 | 0:2.7.1-8.el7 |
nettleRed Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode |
before 0:2.7.1-8.el7 | 0:2.7.1-8.el7 |
nettleRed Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server |
before 0:2.7.1-8.el7 | 0:2.7.1-8.el7 |
nettle-debuginfoRed Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server |
before 0:2.7.1-8.el7 | 0:2.7.1-8.el7 |
nettle-develRed Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server |
before 0:2.7.1-8.el7 | 0:2.7.1-8.el7 |
nettleRed Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation |
before 0:2.7.1-8.el7 | 0:2.7.1-8.el7 |
nettle-debuginfoRed Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation |
before 0:2.7.1-8.el7 | 0:2.7.1-8.el7 |
nettle-develRed Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation |
before 0:2.7.1-8.el7 | 0:2.7.1-8.el7 |
libnettleSUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP2 |
before 2.7.1-12.1 | 2.7.1-12.1 |
libnettleSUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for Raspberry Pi 12 SP2 |
before 2.7.1-12.1 | 2.7.1-12.1 |
libnettleSUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP2 |
before 2.7.1-12.1 | 2.7.1-12.1 |
libnettleSUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2 |
before 2.7.1-12.1 | 2.7.1-12.1 |
libnettleSUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP2 |
before 2.7.1-12.1 | 2.7.1-12.1 |
nettleUbuntu:14.04:LTS |
before 2.7.1-1ubuntu0.2, plus listed versions 2.7.1-12.7.1-1ubuntu0.1 |
2.7.1-1ubuntu0.2 |
nettleUbuntu:16.04:LTS |
before 3.2-1ubuntu0.16.04.1, plus listed versions 3.1.1-43.2-1 |
3.2-1ubuntu0.16.04.1 |
History
| When | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-11-03 | aliases | EUVD |
| 2026-11-02 | created | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
References
openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/07/29/7
ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3193-1
security.gentoo.org/glsa/201706-21
git.lysator.liu.se/nettle/nettle/commit/3fe1d6549765ecfb24f0b80b2ed086fdc818bff3
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1362016
eprint.iacr.org/2016/596.pdf
Show 39 moreShow less
rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2582.html
oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2020.html
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-6489
github.com/advisories/GHSA-m9gx-jgm7-m42g
security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2016-6489
advisories.mageia.org/MGASA-2016-0290.html
bugs.mageia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=19190
lwn.net/Alerts/697112
access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016:2582
security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/advisories/2016/rhsa-2016_2582.json
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-8803
lists.lysator.liu.se/pipermail/nettle-bugs/2015/003028.html
suse.com/support/update/announcement/2017/suse-su-20171481-1
bugzilla.suse.com/991464
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-6489