Cyber Resilience

CVE-2026-59651

Crypto Weakness in Bouncycastle Bc-Java ≤ 1.85

Published
03 August 2026
Modified
02 September 2026
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v4 7.1
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:Amber
EPSS Score 0.0016 6th percentile
Risk Priority 55 floored blend · peak EPSS

CVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.

Summary

CVE-2026-59651 is a high-severity Inadequate Encryption Strength (CWE-326) vulnerability in Bouncycastle Bc-Java. Its CVSS base score is 7.1 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Brute Force (T1110); ranked at the 6th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SC-13 (Cryptographic Protection) and SC-12 (Cryptographic Key Establishment and Management) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

In Bouncy Castle for Java before 1.85, BKS keystore accepts legacy version with 16-bit integrity MAC key. This issue also affects Bouncy Castle for Java LTS before 2.73.12.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1110 Brute Force Credential Access
Adversaries may use brute force techniques to gain access to accounts when passwords are unknown or when password hashes are obtained.
T1557 Adversary-in-the-Middle Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to position themselves between two or more networked devices using an adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) technique to support follow-on behaviors such as [Network Sniffing](https://attack.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2026-12816Same product: Bouncycastle Bc-Java
CVE-2026-12860Same product: Bouncycastle Bc-Java
CVE-2026-12803Same product: Bouncycastle Bc-Java
CVE-2026-59650Same product: Bouncycastle Bc-Java
CVE-2026-12185Same product: Bouncycastle Bc-Java
CVE-2026-59640Same product: Bouncycastle Bc-Java
CVE-2026-59638Same product: Bouncycastle Bc-Java
CVE-2026-58062Same product: Bouncycastle Bc-Java
CVE-2026-8763Same product: Bouncycastle Bc-Java
CVE-2026-13506Same product: Bouncycastle Bc-Java

Affected Assets

bouncycastle
bc-java
≤ 1.85
bouncycastle
bouncy castle for java lts
≤ 2.73.11

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 12 hardening rules · 6 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V11.4.2
  • V14.1.2
  • V14.2.4

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

SC-13 requires selection and implementation of specific cryptographic algorithms and key lengths, directly preventing use of inadequate encryption strength.

SC-12 governs cryptographic key establishment and management, which can enforce sufficient key sizes and thereby reduce inadequate encryption strength.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.DS-01 partial match
prevents

Strong encryption is required to protect confidentiality of data-at-rest.

PR.DS-02 partial match
prevents

Strong encryption is required to protect confidentiality of data-in-transit.

PR.PS-01 partial match
prevents

Hardened baselines can enforce minimum cryptographic algorithm and key-length settings.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

prevents

Requiring the organization to define and enforce minimum cryptographic strength prevents deployment of insufficient key lengths or weak ciphers that can be brute-forced.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (higher-evidence rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 9 (1 rule)
  • V-271756 OL 9 local disk partitions must implement cryptographic mechanisms to prevent unauthorized disclosure or modification of all information that requires at rest protection. prevents CWE-326
RHEL 8 (1 rule)
  • V-230224 All RHEL 8 local disk partitions must implement cryptographic mechanisms to prevent unauthorized disclosure or modification of all information that requires at rest protection. prevents CWE-326
RHEL 9 (1 rule)
  • V-257879 RHEL 9 local disk partitions must implement cryptographic mechanisms to prevent unauthorized disclosure or modification of all information that requires at rest protection. prevents CWE-326
Windows Server 2016 (1 rule)
  • V-224843 Systems requiring data at rest protections must employ cryptographic mechanisms to prevent unauthorized disclosure and modification of the information at rest. prevents CWE-326

References