Secret encryption vulnerable to brute-force attacks

published 2024-09-03 2 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2024-41456

cvss: 8.8; version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev: Not listed; not in CISA's catalog
epss: 0.1%; EPSS 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 0%
public exploits: 0; none known

Authenticator is a browser extension that generates two-step verification codes. In versions 7.0.0 and below, encryption keys for user data were stored encrypted at-rest using only AES-256 and the EVP_BytesToKey KDF. Therefore, attackers with a copy of a user's data are able to brute-force the user's encryption key. Users on version 8.0.0 and above are automatically migrated away from the weak encoding on first login. Users should destroy encrypted backups made with versions prior to 8.0.0.

Patch / fix

fixed in 1 links 1

Authenticator-Extension Authenticator 8.0.0

github.com/Authenticator-Extension/Authenticator@17aa206 commit

CISA SSVC

Exploitation: none
Automatable: no
Technical impact: total
Assessed: 2 y ago (2024-09-03)

Exploit prediction

0.09% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 0% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

CVSS scores

assigned by	version	score	vector
CNA	3.1	8.8	CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD	3.1	7.8	CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected products

Authenticator-Extension Authenticator

Classification

Weakness

CWE-261 Weak Encoding for Password
CWE-327 Use of a Broken or Risky Cryptographic Algorithm
CWE-326 Inadequate Encryption Strength

References

Sources

CVE List CVE-2024-45394
NVD CVE-2024-45394

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.

CPEs and fixed versions use Anchore's correction of NVD's data: Added CPE configurations because not yet analyzed by NVD.

Summary