Cybersecurity professionals consider CVE-2026-71851 an immediate threat requiring urgent mitigation.
Status: Deferred
Last updated: 🕘 09 Sep 2026, 21:02 UTC
Originally published on: 🕖 07 Aug 2026, 19:18 UTC
Time between publication and last update: 33 days
CVSS Release: version 3
security-advisories@github.com
Secondary
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVE-2026-71851: crypto-js is a JavaScript library of crypto standards. Versions of crypto-js prior to 4.0.0 generate randomness in CryptoJS.lib.WordArray.random() using a custom variation of the Multiply-With-Carry pseudorandom number generator, seeded from Math.random(), instead of a cryptographically secure source. This generator was introduced in version 3.1.2-4 and remained present in nearly every 3.x release. Nominal requests for 128 or 256 bits of entropy through this function produce effective search spaces of approximately 2 to the 39th and 2 to the 47th possibilities, small enough to enumerate on commodity hardware. Downstream wallet applications that used CryptoJS.lib.WordArray.random() as the entropy source for BIP39 recovery phrases are affected, and an attacker who enumerates the reduced output space can recover the resulting private keys and control the associated funds. This issue is fixed in version 4.0.0.
The exploitability of CVE-2026-71851 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).
CVE-2026-71851 presents a challenge to exploit due to its high attack complexity, but the absence of privilege requirements still makes it a viable target for skilled attackers. A thorough security review is advised.
A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.
Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.
Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.
Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2026-71851, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.
Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2026-71851, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.
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