Cryptographic flaw in Go SSH library
Priority MEDIUM 41CWE-310Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and GitHub.
Summary
The Go SSH library (x/crypto/ssh) by default does not verify host keys, facilitating man-in-the-middle attacks. Default behavior changed in commit e4e2799 to require explicitly registering a hostkey verification mechanism.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.03156 88th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed golang.org/x/crypto (Go): 0.0.0-20170330155735-e4e2799dd7aa
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Go | SSH library | prior to commit e4e2799 | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| — | golang.org/x/crypto (Go) | before 0.0.0-20170330155735-e4e2799dd7aa | 0.0.0-20170330155735-e4e2799dd7aa | Patch available | GHSA-xhjq-w7xm-p8qj |
- SSH library VendorGo Affected prior to commit e4e2799 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- golang.org/x/crypto (Go) Vendor— Affected before 0.0.0-20170330155735-e4e2799dd7aa Fixed in 0.0.0-20170330155735-e4e2799dd7aa Patch available GHSA-xhjq-w7xm-p8qj
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:golang:crypto:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | up to 2017-03-17 | Vulnerable | Go standard library |
- cpe:2.3:a:golang:crypto:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions up to 2017-03-17 Vulnerable ·Go standard library
Remediation
- Fix · GHSA-xhjq-w7xm-p8qj golang.org/x/crypto (Go) Fixed in 0.0.0-20170330155735-e4e2799dd7aa Advisory →
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 3 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat OpenShift Enterprise 3
- Red Hat Software Collections
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2017-3204
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-xhjq-w7xm-p8qj
References
Advisory 4
Other 8
- https://bridge.grumpy-troll.org/2017/04/golang-ssh-security
- https://go.dev/cl/340830
- https://go.dev/cl/38701
- https://go.dev/issue/19767
- https://go.googlesource.com/crypto/+/e4e2799dd7aab89f583e1d898300d96367750991
- https://pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2020-0013
- https://web.archive.org/web/20170423080311/https://www.securityfocus.com/bid/97481
- https://web.nvd.nist.gov/view/vuln/detail?vulnId=CVE-2017-3204
More Go vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-16741 Potential denial of service in golang.org/x/crypto CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2025-30317 Potential denial of service in golang.org/x/crypto/ssh/agent CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2025-16740 Unexpected memory consumption during token parsing in golang.org/x/oauth2 CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2025-35996 Infinite parsing loop in golang.org/x/net CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.3
- TI-2025-30315 Quadratic parsing complexity in golang.org/x/net/html CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.3
- TI-2025-41708 Unexpected untrusted code execution in github.com/golang/vscode-go CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.4
Sources
- CVE-2017-3204 · CVE Program
- CVE-2017-3204 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-xhjq-w7xm-p8qj · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2017-3204 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences