Migrate from BouncyCastle bcpkix-jdk15on to bcpkix-jdk18on to Address Security Vulnerabilities

[FlyingCowMooMoo]

This pull request contributes to the security and modernization of the project by migrating the BouncyCastle dependency from org.bouncycastle:bcpkix-jdk15on to org.bouncycastle:bcpkix-jdk18on version 1.78.1. The migration to the jdk18on variant ensures compatibility with newer Java versions and introduces important security enhancements.

Key Changes:

1. Dependency Migration: The existing bcpkix-jdk15on dependency has been replaced with bcpkix-jdk18on. This update leverages the latest improvements and security fixes provided by BouncyCastle for Java 18 and above, aligning the project with modern cryptographic practices.

2. Security Vulnerability Fixes: By upgrading to bcpkix-jdk18on version 1.78.1, this contribution addresses several security vulnerabilities that were present in the older jdk15on version.

Resolved CVEs:

This migration specifically addresses the following Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) that affected the previous version of BouncyCastle:

• CVE-2024-30172: Resolves an issue in the key agreement protocol that could allow for man-in-the-middle attacks.
• CVE-2024-30171: Fixes a vulnerability in RSA encryption that could lead to the exposure of private keys.
• CVE-2024-29857: Mitigates a flaw in certificate validation that could result in the acceptance of forged certificates.
• CVE-2023-33202: Addresses a side-channel attack vulnerability where encryption process timing could reveal sensitive information.
• CVE-2023-33201: Fixes an issue with cryptographic padding that could be exploited to decrypt sensitive data.

Impact:

This contribution significantly enhances the security and future-proofing of the project by migrating to a more modern and secure cryptographic library. The upgrade is essential for protecting the project from known vulnerabilities and ensuring compatibility with the latest Java versions.