# CVE-2024-42459: Elliptic's EDDSA missing signature length check

> Attackers can exploit signature malleability in the Elliptic library by manipulating zero-valued bytes, bypassing signature validation checks.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Updated:** 3 Nov 2025
- **Also known as:** AZL-47421, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-42459, GHSA-f7q4-pwc6-w24p, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-42459

## What is CVE-2024-42459?

CVE-2024-42459 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 2 Aug 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Elliptic package 6.5.6 for Node.js, EDDSA signature malleability occurs because there is a missing signature length check, and thus zero-valued bytes can be removed or appended.

Weakness: CWE-347 (Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-42459?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including elliptic. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `elliptic` | npm | From 4.0.0 | 6.5.7 |
| `elliptic` | npm | From 4.0.0 | 6.5.7 |

Products: Indutny Elliptic.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-42459?

Upgrade elliptic to 6.5.7 or later.

## Is CVE-2024-42459 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-42459 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2024-48949](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-48949/): Elliptic's verify function omits uniqueness validation (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2020-13822](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13822/): Signature Malleabillity in elliptic (high 7.7)
- [CVE-2020-28498](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-28498/): Cryptographic Issues (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2024-42460](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42460/): Elliptic's ECDSA missing check for whether leading bit of r and s is zero (medium 5.3)
- [CVE-2024-48948](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-48948/): Valid ECDSA signatures erroneously rejected in Elliptic (medium 4.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-42459 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-42459 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 2 Aug 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-42459 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- elliptic (npm): affected from 4.0.0; fixed in 6.5.7
- elliptic (npm): affected from 4.0.0; fixed in 6.5.7

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42459/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42459/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-42459
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-42459
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-42459

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42459/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.