wycheproof

by trailofbits

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SKILL.md About

---
name: wycheproof
type: domain
description: >
  Wycheproof provides test vectors for validating cryptographic implementations.
  Use when testing crypto code for known attacks and edge cases.
---

# Wycheproof

Wycheproof is an extensive collection of test vectors designed to verify the correctness of cryptographic implementations and test against known attacks. Originally developed by Google, it is now a community-managed project where contributors can add test vectors for specific cryptographic constructions.

## Background

### Key Concepts

| Concept | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| Test vector | Input/output pair for validating crypto implementation correctness |
| Test group | Collection of test vectors sharing attributes (key size, IV size, curve) |
| Result flag | Indicates if test should pass (valid), fail (invalid), or is acceptable |
| Edge case testing | Testing for known vulnerabilities and attack patterns |

### Why This Matters

Cryptographic implementations are notoriously difficult to get right. Even small bugs can:
- Expose private keys
- Allow signature forgery
- Enable message decryption
- Create consensus problems when different implementations accept/reject the same inputs

Wycheproof has found vulnerabilities in major libraries including OpenJDK's SHA1withDSA, Bouncy Castle's ECDHC, and the elliptic npm package.

## When to Use

**Apply Wycheproof when:**
- Testing cryptographic implementations (AES-GCM, ECDSA, ECDH, RSA, etc.)
- Validating that crypto code handles edge cases correctly
- Verifying implementations against known attack vectors
- Setting up CI/CD for cryptographic libraries
- Auditing third-party crypto code for correctness

**Consider alternatives when:**
- Testing for timing side-channels (use constant-time testing tools instead)
- Finding new unknown bugs (use fuzzing instead)
- Testing custom/experimental cryptographic algorithms (Wycheproof only covers established algorithms)

## Quick Reference

| Scenario | Recommended Approach | Notes |
|----------|---------------------|-------|
| AES-GCM implementation | Use `aes_gcm_test.json` | 316 test vectors across 44 test groups |
| ECDSA verification | Use `ecdsa_*_test.json` for specific curves | Tests signature malleability, DER encoding |
| ECDH key exchange | Use `ecdh_*_test.json` | Tests invalid curve attacks |
| RSA signatures | Use `rsa_*_test.json` | Tests padding oracle attacks |
| ChaCha20-Poly1305 | Use `chacha20_poly1305_test.json` | Tests AEAD implementation |

## Testing Workflow

```
Phase 1: Setup                 Phase 2: Parse Test Vectors
┌─────────────────┐          ┌─────────────────┐
│ Add Wycheproof  │    →     │ Load JSON file  │
│ as submodule    │          │ Filter by params│
└─────────────────┘          └─────────────────┘
         ↓                            ↓
Phase 4: CI Integration        Phase 3: Write Harness
┌─────────────────┐          ┌─────────────────┐
│ Auto-update     │    ←     │ Test valid &    │
│ test vectors    │          │ invalid cases   │
└─────────────────┘          └─────────────────┘
```

## Repository Structure

The Wycheproof repository is organized as follows:

```text
┣ 📜 README.md       : Project overview
┣ 📂 doc             : Documentation
┣ 📂 java            : Java JCE interface testing harness
┣ 📂 javascript      : JavaScript testing harness
┣ 📂 schemas         : Test vector schemas
┣ 📂 testvectors     : Test vectors
┗ 📂 testvectors_v1  : Updated test vectors (more detailed)
```

The essential folders are `testvectors` and `testvectors_v1`. While both contain similar files, `testvectors_v1` includes more detailed information and is recommended for new integrations.

## Supported Algorithms

Wycheproof provides test vectors for a wide range of cryptographic algorithms:

| Category | Algorithms |
|----------|------------|
| **Symmetric Encryption** | AES-GCM, AES-EAX, ChaCha20-Poly1305 |
| **Signatures** | ECDSA, EdDSA, RSA-PSS, RSA-PKCS1 |
| **Key Exchange** | ECDH, X25519, X448 |
| **Hashing** | HMAC, HKDF |
| **Curves** | secp256k1, secp256r1, secp384r1, secp521r1, ed25519, ed448 |

## Test File Structure

Each JSON test file tests a specific cryptographic construction. All test files share common attributes:

```json
"algorithm"         : The name of the algorithm tested
"schema"            : The JSON schema (found in schemas folder)
"generatorVersion"  : The version number
"numberOfTests"     : The total number of test vectors in this file
"header"            : Detailed description of test vectors
"notes"             : In-depth explanation of flags in test vectors
"testGroups"        : Array of one or multiple test groups
```

### Test Groups

Test groups group sets of tests based on shared attributes such as:
- Key sizes
- IV sizes
- Public keys
- Curves

This classification allows extracting tests that meet specific criteria relevant to the construction being tested.

### Test Vector Attributes

#### Shared Attributes

All test vectors contain four common fields:

- **tcId**: Unique identifier for the test vector within a file
- **comment**: Additional information about the test case
- **flags**: Descriptions of specific test case types and potential dangers (referenced in `notes` field)
- **result**: Expected outcome of the test

The `result` field can take three values:

| Result | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| **valid** | Test case should succeed |
| **acceptable** | Test case is allowed to succeed but contains non-ideal attributes |
| **invalid** | Test case should fail |

#### Unique Attributes

Unique attributes are specific to the algorithm being tested:

| Algorithm | Unique Attributes |
|-----------|-------------------|
| AES-GCM | `key`, `iv`, `aad`, `msg`, `ct`, `tag` |
| ECDH secp256k1 | `public`, `private`, `shared` |
| ECDSA | `msg`, `sig`, `result` |
| EdDSA | `msg`, `sig`, `pk` |

## Implementation Guide

### Phase 1: Add Wycheproof to Your Project

**Option 1: Git Submodule (Recommended)**

Adding Wycheproof as a git submodule ensures automatic updates:

```bash
git submodule add https://github.com/C2SP/wycheproof.git
```

**Option 2: Fetch Specific Test Vectors**

If submodules aren't possible, fetch specific JSON files:

```bash
#!/bin/bash

TMP_WYCHEPROOF_FOLDER=".wycheproof/"
TEST_VECTORS=('aes_gcm_test.json' 'aes_eax_test.json')
BASE_URL="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/C2SP/wycheproof/master/testvectors_v1/"

# Create wycheproof folder
mkdir -p $TMP_WYCHEPROOF_FOLDER

# Request all test vector files if they don't exist
for i in "${TEST_VECTORS[@]}"; do
  if [ ! -f "${TMP_WYCHEPROOF_FOLDER}${i}" ]; then
    curl -o "${TMP_WYCHEPROOF_FOLDER}${i}" "${BASE_URL}${i}"
    if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
      echo "Failed to download ${i}"
      exit 1
    fi
  fi
done
```

### Phase 2: Parse Test Vectors

Identify the test file for your algorithm and parse the JSON:

**Python Example:**

```python
import json

def load_wycheproof_test_vectors(path: str):
    testVectors = []
    try:
        with open(path, "r") as f:
            wycheproof_json = json.loads(f.read())
    except FileNotFoundError:
        print(f"No Wycheproof file found at: {path}")
        return testVectors

# Attributes that need hex-to-bytes conversion
    convert_attr = {"key", "aad", "iv", "msg", "ct", "tag"}

for testGroup in wycheproof_json["testGroups"]:
        # Filter test groups based on implementation constraints
        if testGroup["ivSize"] < 64 or testGroup["ivSize"] > 1024:
            continue

for tv in testGroup["tests"]:
            # Convert hex strings to bytes
            for attr in convert_attr:
                if attr in tv:
                    tv[attr] = bytes.fromhex(tv[attr])
            testVectors.append(tv)

return testVectors
```

**JavaScript Example:**

```javascript
const fs = require('fs').promises;

async function loadWycheproofTestVectors(path) {
  const tests = [];

try {
    const fileContent = await fs.readFile(path);
    const data = JSON.parse(fileContent.toString());

data.testGroups.forEach(testGroup => {
      testGroup.tests.forEach(test => {
        // Add shared test group properties to each test
        test['pk'] = testGroup.publicKey.pk;
        tests.push(test);
      });
    });
  } catch (err) {
    console.error('Error reading or parsing file:', err);
    throw err;
  }

return tests;
}
```

### Phase 3: Write Testing Harness

Create test functions that handle both valid and invalid test cases.

**Python/pytest Example:**

```python
import pytest
from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.ciphers.aead import AESGCM

tvs = load_wycheproof_test_vectors("wycheproof/testvectors_v1/aes_gcm_test.json")

@pytest.mark.parametrize("tv", tvs, ids=[str(tv['tcId']) for tv in tvs])
def test_encryption(tv):
    try:
        aesgcm = AESGCM(tv['key'])
        ct = aesgcm.encrypt(tv['iv'], tv['msg'], tv['aad'])
    except ValueError as e:
        # Implementation raised error - verify test was expected to fail
        assert tv['result'] != 'valid', tv['comment']
        return

if tv['result'] == 'valid':
        assert ct[:-16] == tv['ct'], f"Ciphertext mismatch: {tv['comment']}"
        assert ct[-16:] == tv['tag'], f"Tag mismatch: {tv['comment']}"
    elif tv['result'] == 'invalid' or tv['result'] == 'acceptable':
        assert ct[:-16] != tv['ct'] or ct[-16:] != tv['tag']

@pytest.mark.parametrize("tv", tvs, ids=[str(tv['tcId']) for tv in tvs])
def test_decryption(tv):
    try:
        aesgcm = AESGCM(tv['key'])
        decrypted_msg = aesgcm.decrypt(tv['iv'], tv['ct'] + tv['tag'], tv['aad'])
    except ValueError:
        assert tv['result'] != 'valid', tv['comment']
        return
    except InvalidTag:
        assert tv['result'] != 'valid', tv['comment']
        assert 'ModifiedTag' in tv['flags'], f"Expected 'ModifiedTag' flag: {tv['comment']}"
        return

assert tv['result'] == 'valid', f"No invalid test case should pass: {tv['comment']}"
    assert decrypted_msg == tv['msg'], f"Decryption mismatch: {tv['comment']}"
```

**JavaScript/Mocha Example:**

```javascript
const assert = require('assert');

function testFactory(tcId, tests) {
  it(`[${tcId + 1}] ${tests[tcId].comment}`, function () {
    const test = tests[tcId];
    const ed25519 = new eddsa('ed25519');
    const key = ed25519.keyFromPublic(toArray(test.pk, 'hex'));

let sig;
    if (test.result === 'valid') {
      sig = key.verify(test.msg, test.sig);
      assert.equal(sig, true, `[${test.tcId}] ${test.comment}`);
    } else if (test.result === 'invalid') {
      try {
        sig = key.verify(test.msg, test.sig);
      } catch (err) {
        // Point could not be decoded
        sig = false;
      }
      assert.equal(sig, false, `[${test.tcId}] ${test.comment}`);
    }
  });
}

// Generate tests for all test vectors
for (var tcId = 0; tcId < tests.length; tcId++) {
  testFactory(tcId, tests);
}
```

### Phase 4: CI Integration

Ensure test vectors stay up to date by:

1. **Using git submodules**: Update submodule in CI before running tests
2. **Fetching latest vectors**: Run fetch script before test execution
3. **Scheduled updates**: Set up weekly/monthly updates to catch new test vectors

## Common Vulnerabilities Detected

Wycheproof test vectors are designed to catch specific vulnerability patterns:

| Vulnerability | Description | Affected Algorithms | Example CVE |
|---------------|-------------|---------------------|-------------|
| Signature malleability | Multiple valid signatures for same message | ECDSA, EdDSA | CVE-2024-42459 |
| Invalid DER encoding | Accepting non-canonical DER signatures | ECDSA | CVE-2024-42460, CVE-2024-42461 |
| Invalid curve attacks | ECDH with invalid curve points | ECDH | Common in many libraries |
| Padding oracle | Timing leaks in padding validation | RSA-PKCS1 | Historical OpenSSL issues |
| Tag forgery | Accepting modified authentication tags | AES-GCM, ChaCha20-Poly1305 | Various implementations |

### Signature Malleability: Deep Dive

**Problem:** Implementations that don't validate signature encoding can accept multiple valid signatures for the same message.

**Example (EdDSA):** Appending or removing zeros from signature:
```text
Valid signature:   ...6a5c51eb6f946b30d
Invalid signature: ...6a5c51eb6f946b30d0000  (should be rejected)
```

**How to detect:**
```python
# Add signature length check
if len(sig) != 128:  # EdDSA signatures must be exactly 64 bytes (128 hex chars)
    return False
```

**Impact:** Can lead to consensus problems when different implementations accept/reject the same signatures.

**Related Wycheproof tests:**
- EdDSA: tcId 37 - "removing 0 byte from signature"
- ECDSA: tcId 06 - "Legacy: ASN encoding of r misses leading 0"

## Case Study: Elliptic npm Package

This case study demonstrates how Wycheproof found three CVEs in the popular elliptic npm package (3000+ dependents, millions of weekly downloads).

### Overview

The [elliptic](https://www.npmjs.com/package/elliptic) library is an elliptic-curve cryptography library written in JavaScript, supporting ECDH, ECDSA, and EdDSA. Using Wycheproof test vectors on version 6.5.6 revealed multiple vulnerabilities:

- **CVE-2024-42459**: EdDSA signature malleability (appending/removing zeros)
- **CVE-2024-42460**: ECDSA DER encoding - invalid bit placement
- **CVE-2024-42461**: ECDSA DER encoding - leading zero in length field

### Methodology

1. **Identify supported curves**: ed25519 for EdDSA
2. **Find test vectors**: `testvectors_v1/ed25519_test.json`
3. **Parse test vectors**: Load JSON and extract tests
4. **Write test harness**: Create parameterized tests
5. **Run tests**: Identify failures
6. **Analyze root causes**: Examine implementation code
7. **Propose fixes**: Add validation checks

### Key Findings

**EdDSA Issue (CVE-2024-42459):**
- Missing signature length validation
- Allowed trailing zeros in signatures
- Fix: Add `if(sig.length !== 128) return false;`

**ECDSA Issue 1 (CVE-2024-42460):**
- Missing check for first bit being zero in DER-encoded r and s values
- Fix: Add `if ((data[p.place] & 128) !== 0) return false;`

**ECDSA Issue 2 (CVE-2024-42461):**
- DER length field accepted leading zeros
- Fix: Add `if(buf[p.place] === 0x00) return false;`

### Impact

All three vulnerabilities allowed multiple valid signatures for a single message, leading to consensus problems across implementations.

**Lessons learned:**
- Wycheproof catches subtle encoding bugs
- Reusable test harnesses pay dividends
- Test vector comments and flags help diagnose issues
- Even popular libraries benefit from systematic test vector validation

## Advanced Usage

### Tips and Tricks

| Tip | Why It Helps |
|-----|--------------|
| Filter test groups by parameters | Focus on test vectors relevant to your implementation constraints |
| Use test vector flags | Understand specific vulnerability patterns being tested |
| Check the `notes` field | Get detailed explanations of flag meanings |
| Test both encrypt/decrypt and sign/verify | Ensure bidirectional correctness |
| Run tests in CI | Catch regressions and benefit from new test vectors |
| Use parameterized tests | Get clear failure messages with tcId and comment |

### Common Mistakes

| Mistake | Why It's Wrong | Correct Approach |
|---------|----------------|------------------|
| Only testing valid cases | Misses vulnerabilities where invalid inputs are accepted | Test all result types: valid, invalid, acceptable |
| Ignoring "acceptable" result | Implementation might have subtle bugs | Treat acceptable as warnings worth investigating |
| Not filtering test groups | Wastes time on unsupported parameters | Filter by keySize, ivSize, etc. based on your implementation |
| Not updating test vectors | Miss new vulnerability patterns | Use submodules or scheduled fetches |
| Testing only one direction | Encrypt/sign might work but decrypt/verify fails | Test both operations |

## Related Skills

### Tool Skills

| Skill | Primary Use in Wycheproof Testing |
|-------|-----------------------------------|
| **pytest** | Python testing framework for parameterized tests |
| **mocha** | JavaScript testing framework for test generation |
| **constant-time-testing** | Complement Wycheproof with timing side-channel testing |
| **cryptofuzz** | Fuzz-based crypto testing to find additional bugs |

### Technique Skills

| Skill | When to Apply |
|-------|---------------|
| **coverage-analysis** | Ensure test vectors cover all code paths in crypto implementation |
| **property-based-testing** | Test mathematical properties (e.g., encrypt/decrypt round-trip) |
| **fuzz-harness-writing** | Create harnesses for crypto parsers (complements Wycheproof) |

### Related Domain Skills

| Skill | Relationship |
|-------|--------------|
| **crypto-testing** | Wycheproof is a key tool in comprehensive crypto testing methodology |
| **fuzzing** | Use fuzzing to find bugs Wycheproof doesn't cover (new edge cases) |

## Skill Dependency Map

```
                    ┌─────────────────────┐
                    │    wycheproof       │
                    │   (this skill)      │
                    └──────────┬──────────┘
                               │
           ┌───────────────────┼───────────────────┐
           │                   │                   │
           ▼                   ▼                   ▼
┌─────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐
│  pytest/mocha   │ │ constant-time   │ │   cryptofuzz    │
│ (test framework)│ │   testing       │ │   (fuzzing)     │
└────────┬────────┘ └────────┬────────┘ └────────┬────────┘
         │                   │                   │
         └───────────────────┼───────────────────┘
                             │
                             ▼
              ┌──────────────────────────┐
              │   Technique Skills       │
              │ coverage, harness, PBT   │
              └──────────────────────────┘
```

## Resources

### Official Repository

**[Wycheproof GitHub Repository](https://github.com/C2SP/wycheproof)**

The official repository contains:
- All test vectors in `testvectors/` and `testvectors_v1/`
- JSON schemas in `schemas/`
- Reference implementations in Java and JavaScript
- Documentation in `doc/`

### Real-World Examples

**[pycryptodome](https://pypi.org/project/pycryptodome/)**

The pycryptodome library integrates Wycheproof test vectors in their test suite, demonstrating best practices for Python crypto implementations.

### Community Resources

- [C2SP Community](https://c2sp.org/) - Cryptographic specifications and standards community maintaining Wycheproof
- Wycheproof issues tracker - Report bugs in test vectors or suggest new constructions

## Summary

Wycheproof is an essential tool for validating cryptographic implementations against known attack vectors and edge cases. By integrating Wycheproof test vectors into your testing workflow:

1. Catch subtle encoding and validation bugs
2. Prevent signature malleability issues
3. Ensure consistent behavior across implementations
4. Benefit from community-contributed test vectors
5. Protect against known cryptographic vulnerabilities

The investment in writing a reusable testing harness pays dividends through continuous validation as new test vectors are added to the Wycheproof repository.