SSSD IdP pre-authentication state leaks memory, enabling denial of service
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Deferred Red Hat: fix deferred
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-770.
Summary
SSSD (System Security Services Daemon) keeps state in memory for pre-authentication requests when Identity Provider (IdP) authentication is enabled, and it never clears or times out that state. A local attacker can repeatedly start authentication flows without completing them, so memory use grows without bound and degrades or terminates SSSD authentication services, causing a denial of service. The weakness is CWE-770, Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling; CVSS 3.1 scores it 6.2 (MEDIUM) and Red Hat rates it Moderate. CISA has not added it to KEV.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Description from the CNA
A flaw was found in SSSD (System Security Services Daemon). When Identity Provider (IdP) authentication is enabled, pre-authentication requests retain state in memory without being cleared or timed out. A local attacker can repeatedly initiate authentication flows without completing them, causing unbounded memory consumption. This memory exhaustion can lead to a Denial of Service (DoS) by degrading or terminating SSSD authentication services.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 6
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:fedoraproject:sssd:2.12.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.12.0 | Vulnerable | Fedoraproject |
| cpe:2.3:a:redhat:openshift_container_platform:4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 8.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 9.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 10.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
- cpe:2.3:a:fedoraproject:sssd:2.12.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.12.0 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
- cpe:2.3:a:redhat:openshift_container_platform:4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 8.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 9.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 10.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
Remediation
Red Hat lists no fix for the affected products. RHEL 6 has no fix planned, and RHEL 7, 8, 9 and 10 and OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5 have none available.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Timeline
- 2026-10-07 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-104046
- 2026-10-07 Alias added: GHSA-35vq-gvvv-mccw
- 2026-10-07 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-07 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-07 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
- 2026-10-09 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-11-05 Affected versions changed · CNA
- 2026-11-05 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Exploit 1
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Sources
- CVE-2026-104046 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-104046 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-35vq-gvvv-mccw · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-104046 · 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