CVE-2024-49364 tiny-secp256k1 vulnerable to private key extraction when signing a malicious JSON-stringifyable message in bundled environment
Attackers can extract private keys by signing malicious messages in environments using the NPM buffer package, affecting users of tiny-secp256k1.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2024-49364?
CVE-2024-49364 is a high-severity vulnerability in bitcoinjs tiny-secp256k1, published on 1 Jul 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Official description
tiny-secp256k1 is a tiny secp256k1 native/JS wrapper. Prior to version 1.1.7, a private key can be extracted on signing a malicious JSON-stringifiable object, when global Buffer is the buffer package. This affects only environments where require('buffer') is the NPM buffer package. The Buffer.isBuffer check can be bypassed, resulting in k reuse for different messages, leading to private key extraction over a single invalid message (and a second one for which any message/signature could be taken, e.g. previously known valid one). This issue has been patched in version 1.1.7.
Weakness: CWE-522
Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-49364?
2 open source packages ship an affected version, including tiny-secp256k1.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
tiny-secp256k1 npm | All versions | 1.1.7 |
tiny-secp256k1 npm | All versions | 1.1.7 |
How do I fix CVE-2024-49364?
Upgrade tiny-secp256k1 to 1.1.7 or later.
Is CVE-2024-49364 being exploited?
It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-49364 exists.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-7mc2-6phr-23xc.