Untrusted search path vulnerability in ssh-agent.c in ssh-agent in OpenSSH before 7.4…
Priority HIGH 71CWE-426Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · Low · Low
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 8 fixed, 3 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-426.
Summary
Untrusted search path vulnerability in ssh-agent.c in ssh-agent in OpenSSH before 7.4 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary local PKCS#11 modules by leveraging control over a forwarded agent-socket.
Why it matters now
Exploitation Proof of concept CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.37431 98th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by the CNA
Fix Partial Red Hat: 1 advisoryRed Hat: 8 fixed, 3 without a fix
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
Remediation
Red Hat 1 advisory
- RHSA-2017:2029 Released 2017-08-01 · Red Hat rating Moderateopenssh security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) openssh-7.4p1-11.el7, openssh-askpass-7.4p1-11.el7, openssh-clients-7.4p1-11.el7 +2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) openssh-cavs-7.4p1-11.el7, openssh-ldap-7.4p1-11.el7, openssh-server-sysvinit-7.4p1-11.el7 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7) openssh-7.4p1-11.el7, openssh-clients-7.4p1-11.el7, openssh-keycat-7.4p1-11.el7 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) openssh-askpass-7.4p1-11.el7, openssh-cavs-7.4p1-11.el7, openssh-ldap-7.4p1-11.el7 +2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) openssh-7.4p1-11.el7, openssh-askpass-7.4p1-11.el7, openssh-clients-7.4p1-11.el7 +2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) openssh-cavs-7.4p1-11.el7, openssh-ldap-7.4p1-11.el7, openssh-server-sysvinit-7.4p1-11.el7 +2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) openssh-7.4p1-11.el7, openssh-askpass-7.4p1-11.el7, openssh-clients-7.4p1-11.el7 +2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) openssh-cavs-7.4p1-11.el7, openssh-ldap-7.4p1-11.el7, openssh-server-sysvinit-7.4p1-11.el7 +1
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2017:2029 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2017:2029 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2017:2029 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2017:2029 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2017:2029 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2017:2029 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2017:2029 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2017:2029 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2016-10009
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-5rjr-wmvr-493x
References
Exploit 1
Advisory 3
Other 13
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20171130-0002/
- [oss-security] 20161219 Announce: OpenSSH 7.4 released
- https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docLocale=en_US&docId=emr_na-hpesbux03818en_us
- http://www.slackware.com/security/viewer.php?l=slackware-security&y=2016&m=slackware-security.647637
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140261/OpenSSH-Arbitrary-Library-Loading.html
- [debian-lts-announce] 20180910 [SECURITY] [DLA 1500-1] openssh security update
- https://www.openssh.com/txt/release-7.4
- https://bugs.chromium.org/p/project-zero/issues/detail?id=1009
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-412672.pdf
- [oss-security] 20230719 CVE-2023-38408: Remote Code Execution in OpenSSH's forwarded ssh-agent
- 20230719 CVE-2023-38408: Remote Code Execution in OpenSSH's forwarded ssh-agent
- [oss-security] 20230719 Re: CVE-2023-38408: Remote Code Execution in OpenSSH's forwarded ssh-agent
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/173661/OpenSSH-Forwarded-SSH-Agent-Remote-Code-Execution.html
More OpenBSD Openssh vulnerabilities
- TI-2023-19792 The PKCS#11 feature in ssh-agent in OpenSSH before 9.3p2 has an insufficiently… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2024-05929 Openssh: regresshion - race condition in ssh allows rce/dos CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
- TI-2023-10601 OpenSSH server (sshd) 9.1 introduced a double-free vulnerability during… CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
- TI-2018-11033 OpenSSH through 7.7 is prone to a user enumeration vulnerability due to not delaying… CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.9
- TI-2023-28040 In ssh in OpenSSH before 9.6, OS command injection might occur if a user name or host… CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
- TI-2023-26623 The SSH transport protocol with certain OpenSSH extensions, found in OpenSSH before 9.6… CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.9
Sources
- CVE-2016-10009 · CVE Program
- CVE-2016-10009 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-5rjr-wmvr-493x · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2016-10009 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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