AsyncSSH: asyncio event-loop freeze via SSH maximum packet size = 0 in SSH_MSG_CHANNEL_OPEN / OPEN_CONFIRMATION
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 3 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA, GitHub and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-835.
Summary
AsyncSSH is a Python package which provides an asynchronous client and server implementation of the SSHv2 protocol on top of the Python asyncio framework. Prior to 2.24.0, _process_channel_open and _process_channel_open_confirmation in asyncssh/connection.py accept a peer-supplied send_pktsize value of zero. When channel data reaches SSHChannel._flush_send_buf in asyncssh/channel.py, the zero value causes each loop iteration to slice and remove zero bytes without reducing the send window, leaving the synchronous loop permanently true with no await point. A malicious SSH server can trigger the client path through SSH_MSG_CHANNEL_OPEN_CONFIRMATION before the first channel write, while an authenticated client can trigger the server path through SSH_MSG_CHANNEL_OPEN and freeze every current and future connection handled by the process. This vulnerability is fixed in 2.24.0.
Why it matters now
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
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ronf | asyncssh | before 2.24.0 | 2.24.0 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | asyncssh (PyPI) | before 2.24.0 | 2.24.0 | Patch available | GHSA-rw4j-r22c-9gc3 |
- asyncssh Vendorronf Affected before 2.24.0 Fixed in 2.24.0 Patch available CNA
- asyncssh (PyPI) Vendor— Affected before 2.24.0 Fixed in 2.24.0 Patch available GHSA-rw4j-r22c-9gc3
Remediation
- Fix · CNA asyncssh (ronf) Fixed in 2.24.0
- Fix · GHSA-rw4j-r22c-9gc3 asyncssh (PyPI) Fixed in 2.24.0 Advisory →
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Ceph Storage 7 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Ceph Storage 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Ceph Storage 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-62949
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-rw4j-r22c-9gc3
References
Other 5
- https://github.com/ronf/asyncssh/security/advisories/GHSA-rw4j-r22c-9gc3
- https://github.com/ronf/asyncssh/commit/756cbae5350789ce9735f15f704bae9b5a3608b8
- https://github.com/ronf/asyncssh/commit/9c354270c009285525e126721e8ed5fbed1f8a67
- https://github.com/ronf/asyncssh/releases/tag/v2.24.0
- https://github.com/ronf/asyncssh
More ronf vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-39424 AsyncSSH AuthorizedKeysFile username substitution bypass through ~ and environment expansion CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.9
- TI-2026-39425 AsyncSSH: SCP Path Traversal to Arbitrary File Write CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
Sources
- CVE-2026-62949 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-62949 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-rw4j-r22c-9gc3 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-62949 · 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