Log injection in fail2ban sshd filter enables IP ban abuse
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · Low
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
fail2ban from 0.10.5 through 1.1.1 before ddd879d accepts an "on <token>" suffix after the host address in its sshd filter, and the default filter mode is affected. Because OpenSSH logs offered usernames verbatim, the filter fails to neutralize log output (CWE-117), so crafted input is misread. A remote unauthenticated attacker can supply a crafted username so that failed logins are attributed to an arbitrary source IP address and banned, blocking that address's legitimate logins.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-27
Description from the CNA
In fail2ban 0.10.5 through 1.1.1 before ddd879d, the sshd filter (config/filter.d/sshd.conf) accepts an "on <token>" suffix after the host address. Because OpenSSH logs the offered username verbatim, a remote unauthenticated attacker can use a username such as "x VICTIM-SOURCE-IP-ADDRESS on" to make fail2ban associate failed login attempts with an arbitrary source IP address and ban it (e.g., to block logins from a legitimate user). The default filter mode is affected.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
The sources list no fixed version for fail2ban.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-27
Vendor assessments
Timeline
- 2026-10-13 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-109786
- 2026-10-13 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-13 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-16 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
More fail2ban vulnerabilities
- TI-2021-12417 Possible RCE vulnerability in mailing action using mailutils (mail-whois) CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
- TI-2007-04181 fail2ban 0.8 and earlier does not properly parse sshd log files, which allows remote… CVSS 2.0MEDIUM 6.8
- TI-2012-04743 server/action.py in Fail2ban before 0.8.8 does not properly handle the content of the… CVSS 2.0HIGH 7.5
- TI-2013-05868 config/filter.d/cyrus-imap.conf in the cyrus-imap filter in Fail2ban before 0.8.11 allows… CVSS 2.0MEDIUM 5.0
- TI-2013-05867 config/filter.d/postfix.conf in the postfix filter in Fail2ban before 0.8.11 allows… CVSS 2.0MEDIUM 5.0
- TI-2013-01945 The apache-auth.conf, apache-nohome.conf, apache-noscript.conf, and apache-overflows.conf… CVSS 2.0MEDIUM 5.0
Sources
- CVE-2026-109786 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-109786 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- CVE-2026-109786 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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