Summary
Issue summary: A timing side-channel which could potentially allow remote recovery of the private...
Issue summary: A timing side-channel which could potentially allow remote
recovery of the private key exists in the SM2 algorithm implementation on 64 bit
ARM platforms.
Impact summary: A timing side-channel in SM2 signature computations on 64 bit
ARM platforms could allow recovering the private key by an attacker..
While remote key recovery over a network was not attempted by the reporter,
timing measurements revealed a timing signal which may allow such an attack.
OpenSSL does not directly support certificates with SM2 keys in TLS, and so
this CVE is not relevant in most TLS contexts. However, given that it is
possible to add support for such certificates via a custom provider, coupled
with the fact that in such a custom provider context the private key may be
recoverable via remote timing measurements, we consider this to be a Moderate
severity issue.
The FIPS modules in 3.5, 3.4, 3.3, 3.2, 3.1 and 3.0 are not affected by this
issue, as SM2 is not an approved algorithm.
Impact
CVE-2025-9231 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. No fixed version is listed yet, so configuration controls and monitoring matter more in the interim.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2025-9231? CVE-2025-9231 is a medium-severity security vulnerability. No fixed version is listed yet.
- How severe is CVE-2025-9231? CVE-2025-9231 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2025-9231? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2025-9231 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2025-9231 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-9231 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2025-9231 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.