CVE-2018-0737 Cache timing vulnerability in RSA Key Generation

Medium 5.9 Published 16 Apr 2018 Updated 15 Oct 2026

An attacker with local access can recover RSA private keys via cache timing side-channel attacks during key generation in OpenSSL.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Not needed
Attackable: Over the internet
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: Available

What is CVE-2018-0737?

CVE-2018-0737 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 16 Apr 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

Official description

The OpenSSL RSA Key generation algorithm has been shown to be vulnerable to a cache timing side channel attack. An attacker with sufficient access to mount cache timing attacks during the RSA key generation process could recover the private key. Fixed in OpenSSL 1.1.0i-dev (Affected 1.1.0-1.1.0h). Fixed in OpenSSL 1.0.2p-dev (Affected 1.0.2b-1.0.2o).

Weakness: CWE-327

Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-0737?

It affects 2 products.

Linux distribution packages (17)

`openssl` SUSE:Enterprise Storage 4	All versions	`1.0.2j-60.39.1`
`openssl` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP3	All versions	`1.0.2j-60.39.1`
`openssl-1_1` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15	All versions	`1.1.0i-4.18.1`
`openssl` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4	All versions	`0.9.8j-0.106.15.1`
`openssl` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP1-LTSS	All versions	`1.0.1i-54.17.1`
`openssl` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2-BCL	All versions	`1.0.2j-60.39.1`
`openssl` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2-LTSS	All versions	`1.0.2j-60.39.1`
`openssl` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3	All versions	`1.0.2j-60.39.1`
`openssl` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 11 SP4	All versions	`0.9.8j-0.106.15.1`
`openssl` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP1	All versions	`1.0.1i-54.17.1`
`openssl` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP2	All versions	`1.0.2j-60.39.1`
`openssl` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP3	All versions	`1.0.2j-60.39.1`
`openssl` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 11 SP4	All versions	`0.9.8j-0.106.15.1`
`openssl` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP3	All versions	`1.0.2j-60.39.1`
`openssl` SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 7	All versions	`1.0.2j-60.39.1`
`openssl` SUSE:Studio Onsite 1.3	All versions	`0.9.8j-0.106.15.1`
`openssl-1_1` openSUSE:Leap 15.0	All versions	`1.1.0i-lp150.3.18.1`

Products include Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Openssl Openssl.

How do I fix CVE-2018-0737?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

Is CVE-2018-0737 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-0737 in the wild and no public exploit code.

All Canonical Ubuntu Linux vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as ALPINE-CVE-2018-0737, DEBIAN-CVE-2018-0737, GHSA-rj52-j648-hww8, SUSE-SU-2018:2486-1, SUSE-SU-2018:2492-1, SUSE-SU-2018:2928-1 and 5 more.