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VeraCrypt EUVDEUVD-2026-64056

| CVE-2026-53762 MEDIUM
Use of Password Hash With Insufficient Computational Effort (CWE-916)
2026-08-21 GitHub_M
6.2
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: GitHub_M
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Obtain copy of wolfCrypt-built VeraCrypt volume file
  2. Delivery
    Confirm non-standard backend via header analysis
  3. Exploit
    Launch offline dictionary or brute-force attack
  4. Execution
    Test candidates at HKDF speed (negligible iteration cost)
  5. Persist
    Recover plaintext passphrase
  6. Impact
    Decrypt full volume contents

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
Exploitation Conditions

Two specific conditions must both be satisfied for exploitation: first, the targeted volume must have been created by a VeraCrypt binary built from source with both WOLFCRYPT=1 and WOLFCRYPT_BACKEND enabled - a non-default configuration not used in any official release; second, the attacker must have physical or logical possession of the volume file, disk image, or exported volume header. Official precompiled binaries and distribution packages are completely unaffected regardless of volume age or PIM settings. Remote exploitation is not possible; the vulnerability only reduces offline password-guessing cost against already-obtained files. Additionally, any PIM value or elevated iteration count the user configured in an affected build provided no security benefit whatsoever, because the iteration parameter was silently discarded.

Impact

The CVSS 6.2 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N) correctly captures that exploitation requires local possession of the volume file - a meaningful prerequisite that forecloses opportunistic remote exploitation entirely. The affected population is further constrained to a rare deployment class: only custom source builds using the non-default wolfCrypt backend are vulnerable; the vast majority of VeraCrypt deployments using official binaries face zero exposure. EPSS data was not provided in the available intelligence, and this vulnerability does not appear in CISA KEV, with no reported POC. These signals together indicate no confirmed active exploitation and low probability of mass targeting. Real-world urgency is high specifically for any organization or individual that did perform wolfCrypt-enabled custom builds - because in those cases, all PIM and iteration-count hardening the user believed they had applied was entirely ineffective, and affected volumes must be recreated, not merely re-encrypted. The CVSS score reasonably reflects the confidentiality impact but would overstate risk to the typical VeraCrypt user who relies on official binaries.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker obtains a copy of a VeraCrypt volume file - through stolen storage media, exposed cloud backup, or decommissioned hardware - and identifies that it was encrypted by a wolfCrypt-backend build. Because the volume's key derivation used HKDF rather than iterated PBKDF2, the attacker's offline dictionary or brute-force tool tests password candidates at a rate orders of magnitude faster than intended, recovering the correct passphrase and decrypting the volume contents in a fraction of the time that correctly implemented PBKDF2 would have required.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
Patch available 0.1% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Aug 21, 2026

Key derivation in VeraCrypt's non-default wolfCrypt backend silently substituted HKDF for PBKDF2-HMAC in SHA-256 and SHA-512 volume-header derivation, discarding the configured iteration count entirely - meaning any PIM or iteration tuning applied by users of affected builds provided zero additional brute-force resistance. Any attacker who obtains a volume file produced by a WOLFCRYPT=1 source build can attempt password recovery at HKDF speeds rather than PBKDF2-iterated cost, dramatically reducing the work factor. Official precompiled VeraCrypt binaries and standard distribution packages are entirely unaffected; no public exploit has been identified and this vulnerability is not listed in CISA KEV.

RemediationAI

Users of custom wolfCrypt-backend VeraCrypt builds must upgrade to version 1.26.29 (https://github.com/veracrypt/VeraCrypt/releases/tag/VeraCrypt_1.26.29), rebuild wolfSSL with the --enable-pwdbased configure flag, and recompile VeraCrypt. Critically, upgrading alone is insufficient: because the corrected build derives different keys from the same password, all volumes created by an affected build must be backed up in plaintext and recreated from scratch using the fixed binary - they cannot be transparently re-keyed in place. Until volumes are recreated, the primary compensating control is preventing any untrusted party from obtaining a copy of the affected volume file or disk image, since the reduced derivation cost only enables faster offline attacks against files an attacker already possesses. Users of official precompiled VeraCrypt binaries require no action.

Affected VersionsENISA

VeraCrypt < 1.26.29

Affected Packages

euvd veracrypt fix: 1.26.29

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

VeraCrypt derives volume-header encryption keys using PBKDF2-HMAC with user-configurable iteration counts and PIM support, specifically to make offline password attacks computationally expensive. The wolfCrypt cryptographic backend in src/Crypto/wolfCrypt.c - compiled only when building from source with both WOLFCRYPT=1 and WOLFCRYPT_BACKEND flags - implemented derive_key_sha256 and derive_key_sha512 by calling wc_HKDF (a single-pass extract-and-expand construction designed for key material expansion, not password stretching) and explicitly nullified the iterations parameter with (void) iterations. HKDF has negligible per-candidate cost versus PBKDF2 with thousands of iterations, collapsing the intended work factor. CWE-916 (Use of Password Hash With Insufficient Computational Effort) precisely describes this root cause. The fix in commit 39f93910 replaces wc_HKDF with wc_PBKDF2, restoring the full iteration loop, and requires enabling --enable-pwdbased when building wolfSSL, as documented in the updated src/Crypto/wolfCrypt.md. CPE cpe:2.3:a:veracrypt:veracrypt:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* covers the affected product family, with scope limited to wolfCrypt-backend builds prior to 1.26.29.

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Severity by source

Vendor (GitHub_M) PRIMARY 6.2 MEDIUM
AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
vuln.today AI 6.2 MEDIUM

AV:L because exploitation requires physical or logical possession of the volume file; PR:N since no OS authentication is needed for offline password attack; C:H for full volume plaintext recovery; I:N and A:N as the flaw solely reduces key derivation cost.

3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
4.0 AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (GitHub_M).

CVSS VectorVendor: GitHub_M

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

Lifecycle Timeline

1
Patch available
Aug 21, 2026 - 20:02 EUVD

DescriptionCVE.org

VeraCrypt provides disk encryption with strong security based on TrueCrypt. Prior to 1.26.29, non-default builds created with WOLFCRYPT=1 and WOLFCRYPT_BACKEND route SHA-256 and SHA-512 volume-header key derivation through derive_key_sha256 and derive_key_sha512 in src/Crypto/wolfCrypt.c, where the configured iterations value is discarded and wc_HKDF is used instead of PBKDF2-HMAC. Changing the PIM or iteration count therefore does not increase derivation cost, allowing an attacker with an affected container, disk image, or volume header to perform substantially cheaper offline password guesses. Official precompiled VeraCrypt binaries and normal distribution packages use the standard PBKDF2 backend and are not affected. Volumes created by an affected WOLFCRYPT=1 build require backup and recreation because corrected builds derive different keys. This issue is fixed in version 1.26.29.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.1%
Top 100% exploitable
Prevalence
Low
non-default custom source builds only; official binaries unaffected
Data Quality
5 sources
Confidence: Medium

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity MEDIUM
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.1%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Defer
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium

Priority Score

31
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +31
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.

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