CVE-2024-2467 identifies a timing-based side-channel vulnerability in the perl-Crypt-OpenSSL-RSA package, specifically targeting the legacy PKCS#1 v1.5 RSA encryption padding mode. This vulnerability enables a Bleichenbacher-style attack, where an attacker can recover plaintext by analyzing timing discrepancies during decryption operations. The attack requires the ability to send a large volume of trial ciphertexts over a network and observe the timing responses, exploiting subtle differences in processing time to infer information about the plaintext. The vulnerability does not require any privileges or user interaction, but the attack complexity is high due to the need for extensive trial messages and precise timing measurements. The CVSS 3.1 score of 5.9 reflects a medium severity, with a high impact on confidentiality but no impact on integrity or availability. No patches or exploits are currently reported, but the flaw affects systems relying on the outdated PKCS#1 v1.5 padding, which is known to be vulnerable to Bleichenbacher attacks. The perl-Crypt-OpenSSL-RSA package is used in various applications that perform RSA encryption and decryption, particularly in legacy systems or environments where migration to newer padding schemes like OAEP has not occurred. This vulnerability highlights the ongoing risks of using deprecated cryptographic standards and the importance of timely updates and cryptographic best practices.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2024-2467 is the potential compromise of confidentiality in encrypted communications that rely on the vulnerable perl-Crypt-OpenSSL-RSA package with PKCS#1 v1.5 padding. Sensitive data such as personal information, financial transactions, or confidential communications could be exposed if attackers successfully perform the Bleichenbacher-style attack. The attack's network-based nature means that exposed services accepting encrypted messages are at risk, particularly those accessible from untrusted networks or the internet. While the vulnerability does not affect data integrity or system availability, the breach of confidentiality could lead to regulatory non-compliance under GDPR, reputational damage, and financial losses. Organizations in sectors with high security requirements, such as finance, healthcare, and government, are especially vulnerable. The lack of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, as attackers may develop exploits over time. The medium severity rating suggests that while the threat is significant, it requires considerable effort to exploit, giving organizations a window to remediate.

1. Identify and inventory all systems and applications using the perl-Crypt-OpenSSL-RSA package, especially those employing PKCS#1 v1.5 padding for RSA encryption. 2. Migrate cryptographic operations from PKCS#1 v1.5 padding to more secure padding schemes such as RSA-OAEP, which are resistant to Bleichenbacher-style attacks. 3. Apply patches or updates to the perl-Crypt-OpenSSL-RSA package as they become available from maintainers or vendors. 4. Restrict network exposure of services that perform RSA decryption to trusted internal networks only, minimizing the attack surface. 5. Implement network-level protections such as rate limiting and anomaly detection to identify and block abnormal volumes of trial ciphertext messages indicative of an attack attempt. 6. Conduct regular cryptographic audits to ensure deprecated algorithms and padding schemes are phased out. 7. Educate developers and system administrators about the risks of legacy cryptographic standards and encourage best practices in cryptography. 8. Monitor threat intelligence sources for any emerging exploits targeting this vulnerability to respond promptly.