Erlang OTP ssh_transport.erl data amplification

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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5.2$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as problematic was found in Erlang OTP. This vulnerability affects unknown code in the library lib/ssh/src/ssh_transport.erl. The manipulation results in data amplification. This vulnerability is identified as CVE-2026-23943. The attack can be executed remotely. There is not any exploit available. Upgrading the affected component is advised.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Erlang OTP (version unknown). It has been classified as problematic. Affected is an unknown function in the library lib/ssh/src/ssh_transport.erl. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a data amplification vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-409. The product does not handle or incorrectly handles a compressed input with a very high compression ratio that produces a large output. This is going to have an impact on availability. CVE summarizes:

Improper Handling of Highly Compressed Data (Compression Bomb) vulnerability in Erlang OTP ssh (ssh_transport modules) allows Denial of Service via Resource Depletion. The SSH transport layer advertises legacy zlib compression by default and inflates attacker-controlled payloads pre-authentication without any size limit, enabling reliable memory exhaustion DoS. Two compression algorithms are affected: * zlib: Activates immediately after key exchange, enabling unauthenticated attacks * [email protected]: Activates post-authentication, enabling authenticated attacks Each SSH packet can decompress ~255 MB from 256 KB of wire data (1029:1 amplification ratio). Multiple packets can rapidly exhaust available memory, causing OOM kills in memory-constrained environments. This vulnerability is associated with program files lib/ssh/src/ssh_transport.erl and program routines ssh_transport:decompress/2, ssh_transport:handle_packet_part/4. This issue affects OTP from OTP 17.0 before OTP 28.4.1, OTP 27.3.4.9 and OTP 26.2.5.18, corresponding to ssh from 3.0.1 before 5.5.1, 5.2.11.6 and 5.1.4.14.

The advisory is available at github.com. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2026-23943 since 01/19/2026. The exploitability is told to be easy. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. The exploitation doesn't require any form of authentication. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit. This vulnerability is assigned to T1499 by the MITRE ATT&CK project.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 302364 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-23943), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading eliminates this vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (302364) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2026-0721). If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

Affected

  • SUSE openSUSE
  • Open Source Erlang/OTP

Productinfo

Vendor

Name

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CNA CVSS-B Score: 🔒
CNA CVSS-BT Score: 🔒
CNA Vector: 🔒

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.2

VulDB Base Score: 5.3
VulDB Temp Score: 5.1
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.3
NVD Vector: 🔒

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Data amplification
CWE: CWE-409 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Nessus ID: 302364
Nessus Name: Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-23943

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Timelineinfo

01/19/2026 CVE reserved
03/13/2026 +53 days Advisory disclosed
03/13/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
07/24/2026 +133 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Product: github.com

Advisory: github.com
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-23943 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-23943
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-350826
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2026-0721 - Erlang/OTP: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Entryinfo

Created: 03/13/2026 11:18
Updated: 07/24/2026 21:52
Changes: 03/13/2026 11:18 (63), 03/13/2026 15:39 (7), 03/16/2026 06:50 (2), 03/20/2026 04:22 (1), 04/23/2026 13:17 (1), 05/06/2026 18:54 (1), 05/06/2026 18:57 (4), 05/21/2026 19:06 (11), 07/24/2026 21:52 (2)
Complete: 🔍
Committer: lywand
Cache ID: 216::103

If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

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