CVE-2024-48930 — secp256k1
Fix: cryptocoinjs/secp256k1-node@8bd6446CVE-2024-48930 is a CWE-354 vulnerability in secp256k1. A fix is available for secp256k1 — see the affected versions and patch details below.
secp256k1-node vulnerable to private key extraction over ECDH
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
- CISA assesses this as automatable — exploitation doesn’t require manual, per-target effort, which raises the odds of mass scanning and opportunistic attacks.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2024-48930.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Real-World Exposure
How broadly this vulnerability is actually deployed: weekly install volume shows current usage, and reverse-dependency count shows how many other packages break if it stays unpatched.
secp256k1npmDescription
secp256k1-node is a Node.js binding for an Optimized C library for EC operations on curve secp256k1. In elliptic-based version, loadUncompressedPublicKey has a check that the public key is on the curve. Prior to versions 5.0.1, 4.0.4, and 3.8.1, however, loadCompressedPublicKey is missing that check. That allows the attacker to use public keys on low-cardinality curves to extract enough information to fully restore the private key from as little as 11 ECDH sessions, and very cheaply on compute power. Other operations on public keys are also affected, including e.g. publicKeyVerify() incorrectly returning true on those invalid keys, and e.g. publicKeyTweakMul() also returning predictable outcomes allowing to restore the tweak. Versions 5.0.1, 4.0.4, and 3.8.1 contain a fix for the issue.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | secp256k1 | ≥ 5.0.0&&< 5.0.1 | 5.0.1npm install secp256k1@5.0.1 |
| 📦npm | secp256k1 | ≥ 4.0.0&&< 4.0.4 | 4.0.4npm install secp256k1@4.0.4 |
| 📦npm | secp256k1 | all versions | 3.8.1npm install secp256k1@3.8.1 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for secp256k1, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update secp256k1 to 5.0.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2024-48930 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2024-48930 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2024-48930. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2024-48930 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2024-48930 across npm dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.