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TI-2026-38504 Aliases CVE-2026-53422

SFTP REALPATH path-existence oracle allowing filesystem enumeration outside configured root

Priority LOW 12CWE-204Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Attack requirements
Present
Impact type
Information disclosure
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
Low · None · None
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 1 fixed, 3 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-204.

Summary

Observable Response Discrepancy vulnerability in Erlang OTP ssh (ssh_sftpd module) allows an authenticated SFTP user to enumerate the existence of files and directories outside the configured root directory. The SSH_FXP_REALPATH handler in ssh_sftpd calls relate_file_name/3 with Canonicalize=false, unlike every other SFTP operation handler. This allows .. components in the requested path to bypass the is_within_root/2 check without being resolved. The un-canonicalized path then enters resolve_symlinks/2, which walks up the directory tree above the configured root and issues read_link() syscalls on arbitrary filesystem paths. An authenticated SFTP client can exploit this by sending a REALPATH request with a crafted traversal path. The server response differs depending on whether the target path exists on the host filesystem (SSH_FXP_NAME when the path resolves successfully, SSH_FX_NO_SUCH_FILE when it does not). This creates a path-existence oracle that an attacker can use to enumerate the filesystem structure outside the configured root, including the existence of sensitive files, directories, and mount points. The vulnerability leaks only the existence of paths. No file contents, credentials, or write access are obtainable through this issue alone. The information gained may assist further attacks when combined with other vulnerabilities. This vulnerability is associated with program files lib/ssh/src/ssh_sftpd.erl and program routine ssh_sftpd:handle_op/4. This issue affects OTP from OTP 17.0 before OTP 29.0.3, OTP 28.5.0.3 and OTP 27.3.4.14, corresponding to ssh from 3.0.1 before 6.0.2, 5.5.2.2 and 5.2.11.9.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00262 18th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Red Hat: 1 advisoryRed Hat: 1 fixed, 3 without a fix

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
ErlangOTP3.0.1 and later—No fix listedCNA
ErlangOTP17.0 and later—No fix listedCNA
  • OTP VendorErlang Affected 3.0.1 and later Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
  • OTP VendorErlang Affected 17.0 and later Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 2

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:erlang:erlang\/otp:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*17.0 to before 27.3.4.14; 28.0 to before 28.5.0.3; 29.0 to before 29.0.3VulnerableErlang
cpe:2.3:a:erlang:erlang\/ssh:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*3.0.1 to before 5.2.11.9; 5.3 to before 5.5.2.2; 6.0 to before 6.0.2VulnerableErlang
  • cpe:2.3:a:erlang:erlang\/otp:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 17.0 to before 27.3.4.14; 28.0 to before 28.5.0.3; 29.0 to before 29.0.3 Vulnerable ·Erlang
  • cpe:2.3:a:erlang:erlang\/ssh:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.0.1 to before 5.2.11.9; 5.3 to before 5.5.2.2; 6.0 to before 6.0.2 Vulnerable ·Erlang

Remediation

Red Hat 1 advisory

  • RHSA-2026:35998 Released 2026-07-06 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs bug fix and enhancement update
    • Red Hat Hardened Images erlang27-27.3.4.14-1.hum1@aarch64, erlang27-27.3.4.14-1.hum1@src, erlang27-27.3.4.14-1.hum1@x86_64 +47

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat OpenStack Platform 16.2AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat OpenStack Platform 17.1AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat OpenStack Platform 18.0AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Hardened ImagesFixed RHSA-2026:35998
Not affected: 1 product
  • Red Hat Hardened Images

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-53422

References

  • TI-2025-23504 Erlang/OTP SSH Vulnerable to Pre-Authentication RCE KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
  • TI-2023-26623 The SSH transport protocol with certain OpenSSH extensions, found in OpenSSH before 9.6… CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.9
  • TI-2017-14604 The Erlang otp TLS server answers with different TLS alerts to different error types in… CVSS 3.0MEDIUM 5.9
  • TI-2026-36669 Stack buffer overflow in SCTP error cause parsing in inet_drv allows remote VM crash CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2022-17230 In Erlang/OTP before 23.3.4.15, 24.x before 24.3.4.2, and 25.x before 25.0.2, there is a… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2016-08327 An issue was discovered in Erlang/OTP 18.x. CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.8
See all 40 →

Sources