PatchTheCVECVE-2022-40769: profanity through 1.60 has only four billion possible RNG initializations
CVE-2022-40769 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.5) affecting profanity. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.
profanity through 1.60 has only four billion possible RNG initializations. Thus, attackers can recover private keys from Ethereum vanity addresses and steal cryptocurrency, as exploited in the wild in June 2022.
Why this priority
- High severity
- Remotely exploitable, no login, no user action
A fixed release or distro patch exists.
Risk facts
| CVSS score | 7.5 (High) |
| Attack vector | Network (remote) |
| Attack complexity | Low |
| Privileges needed | None |
| User interaction | None |
| EPSS exploit chance | 1.5% (top 26%) |
| CISA exploited list | No |
| Weakness | CWE-338 |
| Published | 2022-09-18 |
| Last modified | 2026-06-17 |
Last updated 2026-06-17 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score
Am I affected?
Timeline
- Published CVE record published
- Updated Record last modified
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.
Quick answers
How do I fix CVE-2022-40769?
profanity: upgrade to newer than 1.60. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.
Is CVE-2022-40769 being exploited?
CVE-2022-40769 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.
What does CVE-2022-40769 affect?
CVE-2022-40769 affects profanity. Severity is high (CVSS 7.5). profanity through 1.60 has only four billion possible RNG initializations. Thus, attackers can recover private keys from Ethereum vanity addresses and steal cryptocurrency, as exploited in the wild in June 2022.
How urgent is CVE-2022-40769?
Priority 50/100. High severity; Remotely exploitable, no login, no user action