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Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-71887

🗓️ 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com👁 8 Views

Bouncy Castle for Java accepts signatures from subkeys lacking Primary Key Bindings.

Related
Refs
Code
ReporterTitlePublishedViews
Family
circl
Circl
CVE-2026-71887
3 Oct 202609:00
–circl
cve
CVE
CVE-2026-71887
3 Oct 202608:39
–cve
cvelist
Cvelist
CVE-2026-71887 OpenPGP data signature accepted from a signing subkey without cross-certification
3 Oct 202608:39
–cvelist
debiancve
Debian CVE
CVE-2026-71887
3 Oct 202608:39
–debiancve
euvd
EUVD
EUVD-2026-91993
3 Oct 202608:39
–euvd
nvd
NVD
CVE-2026-71887
3 Oct 202609:17
–nvd
osv
OSV
DEBIAN-CVE-2026-71887
3 Oct 202609:17
–osv
osv
OSV
UBUNTU-CVE-2026-71887
5 Oct 202600:00
–osv
ptsecurity
Positive Technologies
PT-2026-104560
3 Oct 202600:00
–ptsecurity
ubuntucve
UbuntuCve
CVE-2026-71887
5 Oct 202600:00
–ubuntucve
Rows per page
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(362871);
  script_version("1.2");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2026/10/05");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2026-71887");

  script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-71887");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed with a vulnerability that the vendor indicates will not be
patched.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied
patch available.

  - In Bouncy Castle for Java before 1.86, the high-level OpenPGP API accepted a data signature made by a
    signing subkey whose Subkey Binding signature carried no embedded Primary Key Binding (cross-
    certification) signature, in the case where that binding omits a Key Flags subpacket. RFC 9580 sec.
    5.2.1.8 and sec. 10.1.3 require the embedded Primary Key Binding signature on any subkey that can issue
    signatures; it is the subkey's own statement that it belongs to the primary key it is bound under.
    OpenPGPCertificate resolved the subkey's key flags two different ways. isSigningKey() goes through
    getKeyFlags() and getApplyingSubpacket(), which falls back to the primary key's direct-key or primary User
    ID self-signature when the binding signature omits the subpacket, so the subkey inherited the primary's
    SIGN_DATA and counted as signing-capable; verifyEmbeddedPrimaryKeyBinding(), which enforces the
    requirement, reads the binding signature's own hashed subpackets, found no SIGN_DATA there, and returned
    early as a non-signing key without ever demanding the back signature. The same subkey was therefore
    signing-capable - so its signatures were attributed to the certificate and
    OpenPGPSignature.OpenPGPDocumentSignature.isValid() returned true - while being exempt from cross-
    certification, where GnuPG refuses the identical certificate and message. An attacker needs only the
    victim's public signing subkey, which is public material: they bind it to their own primary key with a
    Subkey Binding signature they are able to make, carrying no Key Flags and no embedded Primary Key Binding
    signature, which they cannot make without the subkey's private key, and a relying party verifying one of
    the victim's genuinely signed messages against that certificate is told the signature is valid and given
    the attacker's certificate as its issuer. Because a certificate's User IDs are self-asserted, a verifier
    that pins on the subkey's fingerprint or key ID while taking the identity from the enclosing certificate
    reports a real signature under an attacker-chosen identity. This is misattribution of a genuine signature
    rather than forgery of a new one: no private key is recovered, and the signature must be one the grafted
    subkey actually made. The low-level PGPSignature / PGPPublicKeyRing API performs no binding checks by
    design and is unaffected. Key Flags are a statement about the key the carrying signature refers to (RFC
    9580 sec. 5.2.3.29), so a subkey no longer inherits them from the certificate-wide signatures of the
    primary key: a Subkey Binding signature that omits the subpacket now leaves the subkey with no
    capabilities rather than the primary's, which makes the flags the cross-certification check consults the
    same flags every other decision consults. Preferences and the other subpackets a direct-key signature
    carries are inherited as before, and the primary key itself, whose flags legitimately come from its own
    direct-key or User ID self-signature, is unaffected. (CVE-2026-71887)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2026-71887");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-71887");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"There is no known solution at this time.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"agent", value:"unix");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss4_vector", value:"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss4_supplemental", value:"CVSS:4.0/U:Amber");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss4_threat_vector", value:"CVSS:4.0/E:U");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2026-71887");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vendor_unpatched", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2026/10/03");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2026/10/03");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:20.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:22.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:24.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:26.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:12.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:13.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:bouncycastle");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:debian:debian_linux:bouncycastle");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Misc.");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2026 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info2.nasl", "set_linux_os_id.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/cpu", "Host/local_checks_enabled", "global_settings/vendor_unpatched", "Host/OS/identifier");
  script_require_ports("Host/OS/Debian Linux-12", "Host/OS/Debian Linux-13", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-16.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-18.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-20.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-22.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-24.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-26.04");

  exit(0);
}

if (!get_kb_item("global_settings/vendor_unpatched")) exit(0, "Unpatched Vulnerabilities Detection not active.");
if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
if (empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/Debian/dpkg-l"))) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);

include('linux_unpatched.inc');

var distro_constraints_array = {
  "Debian Linux-12": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "12",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libbcjmail-java"},
          {"reference": "libbcmail-java"},
          {"reference": "libbcpg-java"},
          {"reference": "libbcpkix-java"},
          {"reference": "libbcprov-java"},
          {"reference": "libbctls-java"},
          {"reference": "libbcutil-java"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Debian Linux-13": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "13",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libbcjmail-java"},
          {"reference": "libbcmail-java"},
          {"reference": "libbcpg-java"},
          {"reference": "libbcpkix-java"},
          {"reference": "libbcprov-java"},
          {"reference": "libbctls-java"},
          {"reference": "libbcutil-java"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-16.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "16.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "bouncycastle"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-18.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "18.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "bouncycastle"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-20.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "20.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "bouncycastle"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-22.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "22.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "bouncycastle"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-24.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "24.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "bouncycastle"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-26.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "26.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "bouncycastle"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
};

var distro_constraints_values = linux_unpatched::get_distro_constraints(distro_constraints_arr:distro_constraints_array);
if (empty_or_null(distro_constraints_values)) audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');

var third_party_support = get_kb_item('Host/OS/extended-third-party');
if (!empty_or_null(third_party_support)) {
    var third_party_vendors = distro_constraints_values['third_party'];
    if (!empty_or_null(third_party_vendors)) {
        var vendor;
        foreach vendor (third_party_vendors) {
            if (vendor == third_party_support) exit(0, 'A third party management patch is available for this vulnerability from ' + vendor + '.\n');
        }
    }
}

var report = linux_unpatched::check_unpatched_constraints(distro_constraints_values:distro_constraints_values);

if (!empty_or_null(report))
{
  security_report_v4(
      port       : 0,
      severity   : SECURITY_WARNING,
      extra      : report
  );
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
}

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05 Oct 2026 00:00Current
5.8Medium risk
Vulners AI Score5.8
CVSS 48.2
EPSS0.0009
SSVC
8