CVE-2026-71891
CVE-2026-71891 — BLS12-381 key validation accepts a public key built on a foreign curve
In Bouncy Castle for Java before 1.86, BLS12_381BasicScheme.keyValidate, and so BLSPublicKeyParameters and every BasicScheme, MessageAugmentation and ProofOfPossession verify and aggregateVerify that gate on it, accepted a public key built on a foreign ECCurve that merely shares BLS12-381's field characteristic. The prime-order subgroup check trusts a point's own curve to name its cofactor, since ECPoint.satisfiesOrder returns true outright when the curve's cofactor is one, so a point on a curve with a different equation and a cofactor forged to one passed keyValidate despite not being a G1 point at all. In BC's pairing implementation such a point contributes the identity in the target group, so an aggregate signature verified against a set of public keys including it is accepted even though it contains no signature for that key and message pair, admitting a phantom signer. keyValidate now first confirms that the point's curve carries exactly the canonical G1 field, equation, order and cofactor before any subgroup check. The issue is reachable only where an application constructs an ECPoint on an explicit, non-canonical curve and accepts it as an authority-bearing key; the standard 48-byte compressed-point decoder always supplies the canonical curve and was never affected.
Published Updated Sources: NVD, Legion of the Bouncy Castle Inc. (CNA), GitHub, GitHub Security Advisory, SOCRadar CTI
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the scoring sources call it.
Exploitation
Exploit code
public exploit, none observed
EPSS
0%
ahead of 0% of scored CVEs
CVSS base
7.1
high
Remediation
The vendor's own words where we have them.
Upgrade BC-JAVA to a fixed release. Apply vendor patches per advisory and restrict external exposure of the affected component until patched.
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record's own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found.
- Identify exposed assets running affected vendor/product/version combinations.
- Prioritize based on EPSS, PoC availability, and external exposure.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors, authentication anomalies, or suspicious child processes matching the vulnerability class.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and version as the advisories word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legion of the Bouncy Castle Inc. | BC-JAVA | 1.85 to < 1.86 | Vulnerable |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Scope
X
Attack Complexity
Low
Attack Vector
Network
Privileges Req
None
User Interaction
P
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.1 | CVSS 4.0 | high | — | — | Legion of the Bouncy Castle Inc. (CNA) |
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/U:Amber
What this weakness leads to
MITRE's own consequences and mitigations for the weakness class — the authority's wording, not guidance derived from the CVSS vector.
CWE-347 · Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature
- Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
- Modify Application Data
- Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
Weakness & attack patterns
- CWE-347
Attack patterns reported against this CVE. The ATT&CK techniques below are inferred from its weakness class.
Public exploit
Capability, not use: code existing is a different claim from anyone running it.
Repositories
2
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not rules we have tested.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for network-reachable BC-JAVA.
- Monitor for scanner or exploit-pattern traffic after 2 public PoC repositories were reported.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first — with the readings a source repeats on a schedule counted underneath rather than listed.
- 2026
Added · CVSS 3.1 7.1 (AV:N)
Oct 3, 2026 · NVD
Initial · CVE published
Oct 3, 2026 · NVD
Added · GHSA-gggh-4cvh-v637 published (high)
Oct 3, 2026 · GitHub Security Advisory
CVE published by NIST.
Oct 3, 2026 · SOCRadar CTI
References
4 on the record
- github.com/bcgit/bc-java/commit/c16bcfdce1f96230261b7c2c8c1e044bfc9d1deb
Exploit, Third Party Advisory, NIST
- github.com/bcgit/bc-java/wiki/CVE%E2%80%902026%E2%80%9071891
Exploit, Third Party Advisory, NIST
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-71891
NVD
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-gggh-4cvh-v637
Exploit, Third Party Advisory
Elsewhere on this site
- Legion of the Bouncy Castle Inc.every CVE for this vendor
- Unclassifiedsame class
- CWE-347other pages naming this weakness
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record1
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-71891 is BLS12-381 key validation accepts a public key built on a foreign curve, a high vulnerability affecting BC-JAVA from Legion of the Bouncy Castle Inc.. The current evidence does not list it in CISA KEV, and the exploit status is: Active exploitation is not confirmed from current sources for CVE-2026-71891. Public exploit evidence is: 2 public PoC repositories reported; 0 marked weaponized in current dataset. The affected-version evidence is listed in the key facts and affected products tables. Defenders should first verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run those versions, then apply vendor patches or mitigations, restrict reachable attack surface, and preserve logs for detection review. CVSS 7.1 describes technical severity, while EPSS 0% helps estimate near-term exploit likelihood; neither replaces asset context. Unknown fields should remain explicit in tickets, and threat actor, IOC, victimology, or payload claims should not be added unless a cited source supports them. Monitor CISA KEV, vendor advisories, NVD changes, public PoC repositories, and internal telemetry for update triggers.