CWE · MITRE source
CWE-385Covert Timing Channel
Covert timing channels convey information by modulating some aspect of system behavior over time, so that the program receiving the information can observe system behavior and infer protected information.
In some instances, knowing when data is transmitted between parties can provide a malicious user with privileged information. Also, externally monitoring the timing of operations can potentially reveal sensitive data. For example, a cryptographic operation can expose its internal state if the time it takes to perform the operation varies, based on the state. Covert channels are frequently classified as either storage or timing channels. Some examples of covert timing channels are the system's paging rate, the time a certain transaction requires to execute, and the time it takes to gain access to a shared bus.
Last updated: 15 October 2026 14:21 UTC
Control responseHuman-reviewed
Answering this weakness across the control lifecycle, from our framework cross-walks.
NIST 800-53 r5 controls PROPOSED for this weakness (1)AI-assisted
These are model PROPOSALS, not graded mappings. They come
from controls_to_cwe_proposals, which carries no grade field at
all; across the CWE pages 1,540 of 1,722 such associations (89%) have never
been graded by anything. The heading said “address” until
2026-09-29, which asserted a relationship the data does not carry.
Graded cross-walks are on the framework map, not here.
| Control | Title | Family | Why it addresses this CWE |
|---|---|---|---|
SC-31 | Covert Channel Analysis | SC | graded mostly Directly targets covert timing channels by requiring identification and bandwidth estimation, enabling mitigation that reduces or eliminates their usability. |
Top CVEs of this weakness type, ranked by Risk Priority
| CVE | Risk | CVSS | EPSS | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
CVE-2025-53826 UPD | 7.3 | 9.8 | 0.0053 | 2025-07-15 |
CVE-2020-25658 UPD | 6.2 | 7.5 | 0.0165 | 2020-11-12 |
CVE-2019-3732 UPD | 6.1 | 7.5 | 0.0141 | 2019-09-30 |
CVE-2026-5598 UPD | 6.0 | 7.5 | 0.0096 | 2026-04-15 |
CVE-2024-23342 UPD | 5.9 | 7.4 | 0.0098 | 2024-01-23 |
CVE-2023-46809 UPD | 5.9 | 7.4 | 0.0130 | 2024-09-07 |
CVE-2025-59425 UPD | 5.9 | 7.5 | 0.0057 | 2025-10-07 |
CVE-2025-0306 UPD | 5.8 | 7.4 | 0.0065 | 2025-01-09 |
CVE-2025-9231 UPD | 5.6 | 6.5 | 0.0224 | 2025-09-30 |
CVE-2023-3640 UPD | 5.4 | 7.0 | 0.0076 | 2023-07-24 |
CVE-2020-29506 UPD | 5.3 | 6.8 | 0.0115 | 2022-07-11 |
CVE-2020-35164 UPD | 5.3 | 6.7 | 0.0078 | 2022-07-11 |
CVE-2018-10844 UPD | 5.2 | 5.9 | 0.0362 | 2018-08-22 |
CVE-2018-10845 UPD | 5.2 | 5.9 | 0.0362 | 2018-08-22 |
CVE-2026-6478 UPD | 5.2 | 6.5 | 0.0056 | 2026-05-14 |
CVE-2020-25659 UPD | 5.1 | 5.9 | 0.0246 | 2021-01-11 |
CVE-2020-25657 UPD | 5.0 | 5.9 | 0.0176 | 2021-01-12 |
CVE-2022-24409 UPD | 4.9 | 5.9 | 0.0096 | 2022-02-23 |
CVE-2024-2236 UPD | 4.9 | 5.9 | 0.0114 | 2024-03-06 |
CVE-2024-26306 UPD | 4.9 | 5.9 | 0.0110 | 2024-05-14 |
CVE-2023-49092 UPD | 4.8 | 5.9 | 0.0061 | 2023-11-28 |
CVE-2026-84308 UPD | 4.8 | 6.3 | 0.0033 | 2026-09-01 |
CVE-2024-36405 UPD | 4.7 | 5.9 | 0.0052 | 2024-06-10 |
CVE-2017-2624 UPD | 4.6 | 5.9 | 0.0070 | 2018-07-27 |
CVE-2024-25964 UPD | 4.6 | 5.3 | 0.0067 | 2024-03-25 |