CVE-2024-31497

MEDIUM

PuTTY 0.68-0.80 - Cryptographically Weak PRNG in ECDSA Nonce Generation

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 4 public exploits for CVE-2024-31497. PoCs published by HugoBond, edutko, LukaWynants.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This repository contains a functional exploit PoC for CVE-2024-31497, which targets a biased ECDSA nonce generation vulnerability in PuTTY and TortoiseGit. The exploit recovers private keys by leveraging lattice-based cryptanalysis on ECDSA signatures with weak nonces.

Description

In PuTTY 0.68 through 0.80 before 0.81, biased ECDSA nonce generation allows an attacker to recover a user's NIST P-521 secret key via a quick attack in approximately 60 signatures. This is especially important in a scenario where an adversary is able to read messages signed by PuTTY or Pageant. The required set of signed messages may be publicly readable because they are stored in a public Git service that supports use of SSH for commit signing, and the signatures were made by Pageant through an agent-forwarding mechanism. In other words, an adversary may already have enough signature information to compromise a victim's private key, even if there is no further use of vulnerable PuTTY versions. After a key compromise, an adversary may be able to conduct supply-chain attacks on software maintained in Git. A second, independent scenario is that the adversary is an operator of an SSH server to which the victim authenticates (for remote login or file copy), even though this server is not fully trusted by the victim, and the victim uses the same private key for SSH connections to other services operated by other entities. Here, the rogue server operator (who would otherwise have no way to determine the victim's private key) can derive the victim's private key, and then use it for unauthorized access to those other services. If the other services include Git services, then again it may be possible to conduct supply-chain attacks on software maintained in Git. This also affects, for example, FileZilla before 3.67.0, WinSCP before 6.3.3, TortoiseGit before 2.15.0.1, and TortoiseSVN through 1.14.6.

Exploits (4)

nomisec WORKING POC 11 stars
by HugoBond · poc
https://github.com/HugoBond/CVE-2024-31497-POC

This repository contains a functional exploit PoC for CVE-2024-31497, which targets a biased ECDSA nonce generation vulnerability in PuTTY and TortoiseGit. The exploit recovers private keys by leveraging lattice-based cryptanalysis on ECDSA signatures with weak nonces.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Info Leak
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Reliable
Target: PuTTY, TortoiseGit (ECDSA implementations)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: 60 ECDSA signatures from the target · SageMath and Python dependencies
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 2 stars
by edutko · poc
https://github.com/edutko/cve-2024-31497

This repository contains a functional exploit PoC for CVE-2024-31497, targeting an SSH server vulnerability. The code includes a server implementation that logs ECDSA signature details, which can be used to perform lattice attacks on the private key.

Classification
Working Poc 90%
Attack Type
Info Leak
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: SSH server (specific version not specified)
Auth required
Prerequisites: Access to an SSH server vulnerable to CVE-2024-31497 · Valid SSH credentials or public key
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec STUB
by LukaWynants · poc
https://github.com/LukaWynants/Onderzoek_CVE-2024-31497-POC

The repository contains only a README.md file with minimal content, providing no functional exploit code or technical details about CVE-2024-31497. It appears to be a placeholder or incomplete submission.

Classification
Stub 90%
Attack Type
Other
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Theoretical
Target: unknown
No auth needed
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 19, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec SUSPICIOUS
by sh1k4ku · poc
https://github.com/sh1k4ku/CVE-2024-31497

The repository contains only a vague README with no technical details or exploit code, and it references an external download for the actual exploit. This is characteristic of a social engineering lure.

Classification
Suspicious 90%
Attack Type
Other
Complexity
Theoretical
Reliability
Theoretical
Target: PuTTY (version unspecified)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: None specified
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →

References (32)

Core 32
Core References
Third Party Advisory
https://tortoisegit.org
Third Party Advisory
https://winscp.net/eng/news.php
Mailing List, Third Party Advisory mailing-list
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/04/15/6

Scores

CVSS v3 5.9
EPSS 0.2327
EPSS Percentile 96.1%
Attack Vector NETWORK
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CISA SSVC

Vulnrichment
Exploitation none
Automatable no
Technical Impact partial

Details

CWE
CWE-338
Status published
Products (8)
fedoraproject/fedora 38
fedoraproject/fedora 39
fedoraproject/fedora 40
filezilla-project/filezilla_client < 3.67.0
putty/putty 0.68 - 0.81
tigris/tortoisesvn < 1.14.6
tortoisegit/tortoisegit < 2.15.0.1
winscp/winscp < 6.3.3
Published Apr 15, 2024
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026