Vulnerability · CVE-2021-20305
A flaw was found in Nettle in versions before 3.7.2, where several Nettle signature verification functions (GOST DSA, EDDSA & ECDSA) result in the Elliptic Curve Crypt…
Published Apr 5, 2021 · catalog updated Oct 14, 2026 · nettle project
Check if you run it
No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2021-20305. EPSS is 1.74%. Act only if a listed version of nettle project is installed.
Gaps on this record
- No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.
- Severity
- High8.1
- Known exploitation
- Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
- EPSS
- 1.74%
- Remediation
- Advisory link
- Affected products
- cpe debian/debian linux · cpe fedoraproject/fedora · cpe netapp/active iq unified manager · cpe netapp/ontap select deploy administration utility · cpe nettle project/nettle · cpe redhat/enterprise linux
A flaw was found in Nettle in versions before 3.7.2, where several Nettle signature verification functions (GOST DSA, EDDSA & ECDSA) result in the Elliptic Curve Cryptography point (ECC) multiply function being called with out-of-range scalers, possibly resulting in incorrect results. This flaw allows an attacker to force an invalid signature, causing an assertion failure or possible validation. The highest threat to this vulnerability is to confidentiality, integrity, as well as system availability.
Are you affected?
Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.
The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.
- cpe debian/debian linux10.0
- cpe debian/debian linux9.0
- cpe fedoraproject/fedora33
- cpe netapp/active iq unified managerversion unspecified
- cpe netapp/ontap select deploy administration utilityversion unspecified
- cpe nettle project/nettleversion unspecified
- cpe redhat/enterprise linux7.0
- cpe redhat/enterprise linux8.0
How to fix CVE-2021-20305
Recommended remediation
A patch or advisory reference is linked. Open the original publisher for availability by product version.
Official advisories
What to do
Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.
Should you patch?
No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2021-20305. EPSS is 1.74%. Act only if a listed version of nettle project is installed.
Which versions are affected?
Compare what you have installed with debian/debian linux 10.0; debian/debian linux 9.0; redhat/enterprise linux 7.0; redhat/enterprise linux 8.0. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.
What should an analyst verify?
CWE-327: Use of a Broken or Risky Cryptographic Algorithm; CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write. EPSS 1.74%. There is no CISA KEV listing. No Exploit-DB or Metasploit reference is linked. Use the source links for the original advisory.
Code
The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.
No public source repository is identified for this product.
Timeline
Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.
Apr 5, 2021 · NIST NVD
Detected
A flaw was found in Nettle in versions before 3.7.2, where several Nettle signature verification functions (GOST DSA, EDDSA & ECDSA) result in the Elliptic Curve Cryptography point (ECC) multiply function being called with out-of-range scalers, possibly resulting in incorrect results. This flaw allows an attacker to force an invalid signature, causing an assertion failure or possible validation. T
Oct 14, 2026 · NIST NVD
Updated
A flaw was found in Nettle in versions before 3.7.2, where several Nettle signature verification functions (GOST DSA, EDDSA & ECDSA) result in the Elliptic Curve Cryptography point (ECC) multiply function being called with out-of-range scalers, possibly resulting in incorrect results. This flaw allows an attacker to force an invalid signature, causing an assertion failure or possible validation. T
Sources
- CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2021-20305
Official CVE identifier
cve.org - FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2021-20305
30-day exploitation probability 1.7%
first.org - NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2021-20305
A flaw was found in Nettle in versions before 3.7.2, where several Nettle signature verification functions (GOST DSA, EDDSA & ECDSA) result in the Elliptic Curve Cryptography point (ECC) multiply function being called with out-of-range scalers, possibly resulting in incorrect res
nvd.nist.gov
References
Freshness
Last verified in this catalog Oct 16, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.