In Bouncy Castle JCE Provider the DSA key pair generator generates a weak private key if used with default values

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

7.5 · CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

EPSS

• CVE-2016-1000343: 3.25% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 88.36 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

In the Bouncy Castle JCE Provider version 1.55 and earlier the DSA key pair generator generates a weak private key if used with default values. If the JCA key pair generator is not explicitly initialised with DSA parameters, 1.55 and earlier generates a private value assuming a 1024 bit key size. In earlier releases this can be dealt with by explicitly passing parameters to the key pair generator.

Published by the source

17 Oct 2018, 16:24 UTC

Last modified by the source

12 Sep 2025, 19:14 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:39 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-rrvx-pwf8-p59p

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2016-1000343

Advisory: In Bouncy Castle JCE Provider the DSA key pair generator generates a weak private key if used with default values
IDs: CVE-2016-1000343, GHSA-rrvx-pwf8-p59p
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2016-1000343 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:39 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.5)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk14 1.56; org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk15 1.56; org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk15on 1.56. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk14: affected < 1.56; fixed in 1.56
- Maven org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk15: affected < 1.56; fixed in 1.56
- Maven org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk15on: affected < 1.56; fixed in 1.56

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk14: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Maven org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk15: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Maven org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk15on: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk14, org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk15, org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk15on.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-rrvx-pwf8-p59p (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-rrvx-pwf8-p59p lists affected ranges: Maven org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk14 >=0 =0 =0 <1.56)

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