8.1
HIGH CVSS 3.1
CVE-2026-61798
Netty Incubator Codec OHTTP HPKE Information Exposure Vulnerability
Description

## Summary `io.netty.incubator:netty-incubator-codec-ohttp-hpke-classes-boringssl` exposes raw HPKE private key bytes in string representations and error messages. `BoringSSLAsymmetricCipherKeyPair.toString()` includes the private-key parameter object, and `BoringSSLAsymmetricKeyParameter.toString()` renders the full byte array with `Arrays.toString(bytes)`. Separately, failed native key initialization includes `Arrays.toString(privateKeyBytes)` in the thrown `IllegalArgumentException` message. Applications that log key-pair objects or exceptions can persist private key material in logs. ## Details `codec-ohttp-hpke-classes-boringssl/src/main/java/io/netty/incubator/codec/hpke/boringssl/BoringSSLAsymmetricCipherKeyPair.java` renders private key material through `toString()`: - `BoringSSLAsymmetricCipherKeyPair.toString()` at lines 72-78 concatenates `"privateKey=" + privateKey`. - `privateKey` is a `BoringSSLAsymmetricKeyParameter` created with `isPrivate=true` at lines 26-36. `codec-ohttp-hpke-classes-boringssl/src/main/java/io/netty/incubator/codec/hpke/boringssl/BoringSSLAsymmetricKeyParameter.java` then renders all bytes: - `BoringSSLAsymmetricKeyParameter.toString()` at lines 70-76 returns `"bytes=" + Arrays.toString(bytes)` regardless of whether `isPrivate` is true. A separate error path in `codec-ohttp-hpke-classes-boringssl/src/main/java/io/netty/incubator/codec/hpke/boringssl/BoringSSL.java` also exposes caller-provided private key bytes: - `EVP_HPKE_KEY_init_or_throw(...)` at lines 228-232 throws `IllegalArgumentException("privateKeyBytes does not contain a valid private key: " + Arrays.toString(privateKeyBytes))` when BoringSSL rejects the key. Because Java logging frameworks commonly call `toString()` for structured objects and commonly persist exception messages, these paths can place complete HPKE private key material in logs or telemetry. ## Proof of concept Safe local verification was performed without native BoringSSL by compiling the relevant Java classes and a no-op native stub for the unused finalizer reference. The observed output includes the full private key byte array: ```text BoringSSLAsymmetricCipherKeyPair{privateKey=BoringSSLAsymmetricKeyParameter{bytes=[1, 2, 3, 4], isPrivate=true}, publicKey=BoringSSLAsymmetricKeyParameter{bytes=[5, 6, 7, 8], isPrivate=false}} ``` Minimal reproducer concept in the same package: ```java package io.netty.incubator.codec.hpke.boringssl; public final class VerifyPrivateKeyToString { public static void main(String[] args) { byte[] privateKey = new byte[] {1, 2, 3, 4}; byte[] publicKey = new byte[] {5, 6, 7, 8}; BoringSSLAsymmetricCipherKeyPair pair = new BoringSSLAsymmetricCipherKeyPair(privateKey, publicKey); System.out.println(pair.toString()); } } ``` The code path is deterministic: the production `toString()` methods concatenate the raw private-key byte array. ## Impact If an affected key pair or initialization exception is logged, application logs contain complete HPKE private key material. Anyone with access to those logs can recover the key. Depending on key reuse and log retention, this can compromise: - confidentiality of OHTTP messages encrypted to the exposed key; - integrity/authenticity expectations for future messages if the key remains active; - incident response and key rotation assumptions, because logs may retain key material long after the in-memory key is rotated. ## Suggested remediation - Redact private key material in `BoringSSLAsymmetricKeyParameter.toString()` when `isPrivate` is true, for example `bytes=<redacted>` or only key type/length. - Redact `privateKey` in `BoringSSLAsymmetricCipherKeyPair.toString()`. - Remove `Arrays.toString(privateKeyBytes)` from `BoringSSL.EVP_HPKE_KEY_init_or_throw(...)`; report only length and KEM metadata. - Add regression tests asserting that `toString()` and exception messages do not contain private key byte values. - Consider making key pair classes avoid implementing detailed `toString()` for sensitive material entirely. ## References - `codec-ohttp-hpke-classes-boringssl/src/main/java/io/netty/incubator/codec/hpke/boringssl/BoringSSLAsymmetricCipherKeyPair.java:72-78` - `codec-ohttp-hpke-classes-boringssl/src/main/java/io/netty/incubator/codec/hpke/boringssl/BoringSSLAsymmetricKeyParameter.java:70-76` - `codec-ohttp-hpke-classes-boringssl/src/main/java/io/netty/incubator/codec/hpke/boringssl/BoringSSL.java:228-232`

INFO

Published Date :

Aug. 20, 2026, 6:43 p.m.

Last Modified :

Aug. 20, 2026, 6:43 p.m.

Remotely Exploit :

Yes !

Source :

github-security-advisories
Affected Products

The following products are affected by CVE-2026-61798 vulnerability. Even if cvefeed.io is aware of the exact versions of the products that are affected, the information is not represented in the table below.

ID Vendor Product Action
1 Netty netty-incubator-codec-ohttp
CVSS Scores
The Common Vulnerability Scoring System is a standardized framework for assessing the severity of vulnerabilities in software and systems. We collect and displays CVSS scores from various sources for each CVE.
Score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Score Impact Score Source
CVSS 3.1 HIGH github
Solution
Modify toString() and error logging to redact sensitive private key bytes.
  • Redact private key material in toString() methods.
  • Remove sensitive bytes from exception messages.
  • Add regression tests for logging security.
  • Avoid detailed toString() for sensitive material.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration

While CVE identifies specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-61798 is associated with the following CWEs:

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC) stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-61798 weaknesses.

CAPEC-13: Subverting Environment Variable Values Subverting Environment Variable Values CAPEC-22: Exploiting Trust in Client Exploiting Trust in Client CAPEC-59: Session Credential Falsification through Prediction Session Credential Falsification through Prediction CAPEC-60: Reusing Session IDs (aka Session Replay) Reusing Session IDs (aka Session Replay) CAPEC-79: Using Slashes in Alternate Encoding Using Slashes in Alternate Encoding CAPEC-116: Excavation Excavation CAPEC-169: Footprinting Footprinting CAPEC-224: Fingerprinting Fingerprinting CAPEC-285: ICMP Echo Request Ping ICMP Echo Request Ping CAPEC-287: TCP SYN Scan TCP SYN Scan CAPEC-290: Enumerate Mail Exchange (MX) Records Enumerate Mail Exchange (MX) Records CAPEC-291: DNS Zone Transfers DNS Zone Transfers CAPEC-292: Host Discovery Host Discovery CAPEC-293: Traceroute Route Enumeration Traceroute Route Enumeration CAPEC-294: ICMP Address Mask Request ICMP Address Mask Request CAPEC-295: Timestamp Request Timestamp Request CAPEC-296: ICMP Information Request ICMP Information Request CAPEC-297: TCP ACK Ping TCP ACK Ping CAPEC-298: UDP Ping UDP Ping CAPEC-299: TCP SYN Ping TCP SYN Ping CAPEC-300: Port Scanning Port Scanning CAPEC-301: TCP Connect Scan TCP Connect Scan CAPEC-302: TCP FIN Scan TCP FIN Scan CAPEC-303: TCP Xmas Scan TCP Xmas Scan CAPEC-304: TCP Null Scan TCP Null Scan CAPEC-305: TCP ACK Scan TCP ACK Scan CAPEC-306: TCP Window Scan TCP Window Scan CAPEC-307: TCP RPC Scan TCP RPC Scan CAPEC-308: UDP Scan UDP Scan CAPEC-309: Network Topology Mapping Network Topology Mapping CAPEC-310: Scanning for Vulnerable Software Scanning for Vulnerable Software CAPEC-312: Active OS Fingerprinting Active OS Fingerprinting CAPEC-313: Passive OS Fingerprinting Passive OS Fingerprinting CAPEC-317: IP ID Sequencing Probe IP ID Sequencing Probe CAPEC-318: IP 'ID' Echoed Byte-Order Probe IP 'ID' Echoed Byte-Order Probe CAPEC-319: IP (DF) 'Don't Fragment Bit' Echoing Probe IP (DF) 'Don't Fragment Bit' Echoing Probe CAPEC-320: TCP Timestamp Probe TCP Timestamp Probe CAPEC-321: TCP Sequence Number Probe TCP Sequence Number Probe CAPEC-322: TCP (ISN) Greatest Common Divisor Probe TCP (ISN) Greatest Common Divisor Probe CAPEC-323: TCP (ISN) Counter Rate Probe TCP (ISN) Counter Rate Probe CAPEC-324: TCP (ISN) Sequence Predictability Probe TCP (ISN) Sequence Predictability Probe CAPEC-325: TCP Congestion Control Flag (ECN) Probe TCP Congestion Control Flag (ECN) Probe CAPEC-326: TCP Initial Window Size Probe TCP Initial Window Size Probe CAPEC-327: TCP Options Probe TCP Options Probe CAPEC-328: TCP 'RST' Flag Checksum Probe TCP 'RST' Flag Checksum Probe CAPEC-329: ICMP Error Message Quoting Probe ICMP Error Message Quoting Probe CAPEC-330: ICMP Error Message Echoing Integrity Probe ICMP Error Message Echoing Integrity Probe CAPEC-472: Browser Fingerprinting Browser Fingerprinting CAPEC-497: File Discovery File Discovery CAPEC-508: Shoulder Surfing Shoulder Surfing CAPEC-573: Process Footprinting Process Footprinting CAPEC-574: Services Footprinting Services Footprinting CAPEC-575: Account Footprinting Account Footprinting CAPEC-576: Group Permission Footprinting Group Permission Footprinting CAPEC-577: Owner Footprinting Owner Footprinting CAPEC-616: Establish Rogue Location Establish Rogue Location CAPEC-643: Identify Shared Files/Directories on System Identify Shared Files/Directories on System CAPEC-646: Peripheral Footprinting Peripheral Footprinting CAPEC-651: Eavesdropping Eavesdropping CAPEC-37: Retrieve Embedded Sensitive Data Retrieve Embedded Sensitive Data CAPEC-215: Fuzzing for application mapping Fuzzing for application mapping

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