GHSA-vp2j-gqfm-r3cf: secp256k1-native: Compiler-reconstructed secret-dependent branch in native scalar multiplication

secp256k1-native is a native C secp256k1 implementation for Ruby. In affected native builds, native constant-time scalar multiplication through Point#mul or scalarmultiplyct can leak timing information about a secret scalar when compiled by a toolchain that reconstructs branchless selection into a branch. The Montgomery ladder uses uint256select with an all-zeros or all-ones mask, but affected GCC builds at -O2 recover the original condition and emit secret-dependent je or jne jumps whose timing correlates with scalar bits. This defeats the assumption behind the 0.17.0 jpaddinternal infinity-branch fix. A consumer must multiply a secret private key or nonce in a context where an attacker can observe timing; repeated measurements can statistically recover scalar bits. The defect is in the compiled binary, so source review or ctgrind on a non-reconstructing toolchain may miss it. GCC 14.3.0, 15.1.0, and 15.2.0 reproduced the branch reconstruction, and extconf.rb appends -O2. Tested GCC versions through 12.4.0 used bitwise operations and GCC 13.3.0 used constant-time cmov; the pure-Ruby path is not affected by this flaw and separately makes no constant-time claim. GCC 16 and clang were untested, and point releases, targets, and flag combinations were not exhaustively bisected. Earlier pre-0.17.0 versions had different constant-time issues rather than this introduced select idiom. Version 0.18.0 contains the verified fix. The advisory's broad pre-0.18.0 guidance also covers earlier, different constant-time issues; whether this CVE groups those issues or only the select idiom introduced in 0.17.0 remains unresolved.