In ssh in OpenSSH before 9.6, OS command injection might occur if a user name or host…
Priority HIGH 70CWE-78Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · Low · None
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 15 fixed, 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-78.
Summary
In ssh in OpenSSH before 9.6, OS command injection might occur if a user name or host name has shell metacharacters, and this name is referenced by an expansion token in certain situations. For example, an untrusted Git repository can have a submodule with shell metacharacters in a user name or host name.
Why it matters now
Exploitation Proof of concept CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.19753 97th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Red Hat: 8 advisoriesRed Hat: 15 fixed, 2 without a fix
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Total
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
CPE configurations NVD · 4
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:openbsd:openssh:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 9.6 | Vulnerable | OpenBSD |
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 10.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 11.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:12.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 12.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
- cpe:2.3:a:openbsd:openssh:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 9.6 Vulnerable ·OpenBSD
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 10.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 11.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:12.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 12.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
Remediation
Red Hat 8 advisories
- RHSA-2026:22329 Released 2026-06-01 · Red Hat rating Importantopenssh security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS AUS (v.8.4) openssh-8.0p1-7.el8_4.2, openssh-clients-8.0p1-7.el8_4.2, openssh-server-8.0p1-7.el8_4.2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS EXTENSION (v.8.4) openssh-8.0p1-7.el8_4.2, openssh-clients-8.0p1-7.el8_4.2, openssh-server-8.0p1-7.el8_4.2
- RHSA-2026:1790 Released 2026-02-03 · Red Hat rating Moderateopenssh security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream E4S (v.9.0) openssh-askpass-8.7p1-13.el9_0.1, pam_ssh_agent_auth-0.10.4-4.13.el9_0.4
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS E4S (v.9.0) openssh-8.7p1-13.el9_0.1, openssh-clients-8.7p1-13.el9_0.1, openssh-keycat-8.7p1-13.el9_0.1 +1
- RHSA-2024:1383 Released 2024-03-19 · Red Hat rating ImportantRed Hat OpenShift Data Foundation 4.15.0 security, enhancement, & bug fix update
- RHODF 4.15 for RHEL 9 odf4/cephcsi-rhel9, odf4/mcg-core-rhel9, odf4/mcg-operator-bundle +23
Show 5 more Red Hat advisories
- RHSA-2024:1130 Released 2024-03-05 · Red Hat rating Moderateopenssh security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) openssh-askpass-8.7p1-34.el9_3.3, pam_ssh_agent_auth-0.10.4-5.34.el9_3.3
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) openssh-8.7p1-34.el9_3.3, openssh-clients-8.7p1-34.el9_3.3, openssh-keycat-8.7p1-34.el9_3.3 +1
- RHSA-2024:0606 Released 2024-01-30 · Red Hat rating Moderateopenssh security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 8) openssh-askpass-8.0p1-19.el8_9.2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) openssh-8.0p1-19.el8_9.2, openssh-cavs-8.0p1-19.el8_9.2, openssh-clients-8.0p1-19.el8_9.2 +4
- RHSA-2024:0594 Released 2024-01-30 · Red Hat rating Moderateopenssh security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.8.8) openssh-askpass-8.0p1-19.el8_8.2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.8.8) openssh-8.0p1-19.el8_8.2, openssh-cavs-8.0p1-19.el8_8.2, openssh-clients-8.0p1-19.el8_8.2 +4
- RHSA-2024:0455 Released 2024-01-25 · Red Hat rating Moderateopenssh security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.9.2) openssh-askpass-8.7p1-30.el9_2.3, pam_ssh_agent_auth-0.10.4-5.30.el9_2.3
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.9.2) openssh-8.7p1-30.el9_2.3, openssh-clients-8.7p1-30.el9_2.3, openssh-keycat-8.7p1-30.el9_2.3 +1
- RHSA-2024:0429 Released 2024-01-25 · Red Hat rating Moderateopenssh security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.8.6) openssh-askpass-8.0p1-15.el8_6.3
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.8.6) openssh-8.0p1-15.el8_6.3, openssh-cavs-8.0p1-15.el8_6.3, openssh-clients-8.0p1-15.el8_6.3 +4
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| RHODF 4.15 for RHEL 9 | Fixed | RHSA-2024:1383 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:0606 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:1130 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream E4S (v.9.0) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:1790 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.8.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:0429 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.8.8) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:0594 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.9.2) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:0455 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:0606 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:1130 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS AUS (v.8.4) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:22329 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS E4S (v.9.0) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:1790 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.8.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:0429 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.8.8) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:0594 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.9.2) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:0455 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS EXTENSION (v.8.4) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:22329 |
Not affected: 4 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream AUS (v.8.4)
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS EXTENSION (v.8.4)
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS AUS (v.8.4)
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS EXTENSION (v.8.4)
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-51385
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-5mq4-x9g5-4vc4
References
Advisory 5
- DSA-5586
- https://vin01.github.io/piptagole/ssh/security/openssh/libssh/remote-code-execution/2023/12/20/openssh-proxycommand-libssh-rce.html
- [debian-lts-announce] 20231226 [SECURITY] [DLA 3694-1] openssh security update
- [oss-security] 20231226 CVE-2023-51385, CVE-2023-6004: OpenSSH, libssh: Security weakness in ProxyCommand handling
- GLSA-202312-17
Sources
- CVE-2023-51385 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-51385 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-5mq4-x9g5-4vc4 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2023-51385 · 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