CVE-2025-22866

A flaw was found in the Golang crypto/internal/nistec package. Due to the usage of a variable time instruction in the assembly implementation of an internal function, a small number of bits of secret scalars are leaked on the ppc64le architecture. Considering how this function is used, this leakage is likely insufficient to recover the private key when P-256 is used in any well-known protocols.

Moderate impact: Red Hat product builds using the Golang crypto/internal/nistec component on ppc64le are exposed to a timing side channel. A variable-time instruction in an internal assembly function leaks a small number of bits of secret scalars; given how the function is used, the leakage is likely insufficient to recover a private key when P-256 is used in well-known protocols. The current affects cover Red Hat Enterprise Linux, OpenShift Container Platform, and other Red Hat products, while entries resolved as Not a Bug, Obsolete, or delegated NOTAFFECTED are outside the actionable affected scope. For the DEFER entries, remediation is deferred because the leakage is not believed sufficient for private-key recovery in those protocols; the residual risk is limited scalar-bit leakage on ppc64le. For DELEGATED entries, the same Moderate impact is being handled by the relevant product teams, with a fix being pursued. Red Hat's CVSS is 5.3 Moderate with a network attack vector, compared with CISA's 4.0 Moderate local-vector assessment.

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.

Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base, or stability.