CVE-2026-3505
Unbounded Resource Exhaustion in BC-JAVA BCPG PGP Module
Publication date: 2026-04-15
Last updated on: 2026-04-21
Assigner: bcorg
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| legion_of_the_bouncy_castle_inc | bc-java | to 1.84 (exc) |
| legion_of_the_bouncy_castle_inc | bc-java | From 1.74 (inc) to 1.84 (exc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-400 | The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource. |
| CWE-770 | The product allocates a reusable resource or group of resources on behalf of an actor without imposing any intended restrictions on the size or number of resources that can be allocated. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:
The vulnerability CVE-2026-3505 involves unbounded chunk size in the PGP AEAD implementation, leading to potential pre-authentication resource exhaustion and denial of service. The patch enforces strict chunk size validation to comply with RFC 9580 section 5.13.2, which specifies chunk size constraints for AEAD encrypted data packets.
However, there is no information provided in the available context or resources about how this vulnerability directly impacts compliance with common standards and regulations such as GDPR or HIPAA.
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
CVE-2026-3505 is a vulnerability in the Bouncy Castle Java cryptographic library (bc-java) affecting versions before 1.84. It involves an unbounded chunk size in the PGP AEAD (Authenticated Encryption with Associated Data) implementation. Specifically, the chunk size used during encryption and decryption is not properly limited or validated, which violates the constraints defined in RFC 9580.
This lack of validation allows an attacker to specify excessively large chunk sizes, leading to resource exhaustion before authentication occurs. The vulnerability is due to missing or insufficient checks on the chunk size parameter, which can cause the system to allocate excessive resources during processing.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can be exploited by an attacker to cause pre-authentication resource exhaustion. Because the chunk size is unbounded, an attacker can send specially crafted PGP AEAD encrypted data packets with very large chunk sizes, causing the system to consume excessive memory or processing power.
The impact of this is a potential denial of service (DoS) condition, where legitimate users may be unable to use the affected system or application due to resource depletion caused by the attack.
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
Detection of this vulnerability involves identifying usage of vulnerable versions of the Bouncy Castle Java library (bc-java) prior to version 1.84, specifically versions 1.74 through 1.83.
Since the vulnerability relates to unbounded PGP AEAD chunk sizes causing resource exhaustion, monitoring for unusually large or malformed AEAD encrypted data packets in network traffic or application logs may help detect exploitation attempts.
There are no specific commands provided in the available resources to detect this vulnerability directly on a system or network.
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
The primary mitigation step is to upgrade the Bouncy Castle Java library (bc-java) to version 1.84 or later, where the vulnerability has been fixed by adding strict chunk size validation according to RFC 9580.
This update enforces chunk size limits and prevents resource exhaustion attacks caused by unbounded chunk sizes in PGP AEAD encrypted data packets.
Until the upgrade can be applied, consider monitoring and limiting resource usage related to PGP AEAD processing to reduce the risk of denial of service.