OpenSSH up to 7.3 Privilege Separation key management

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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5.5$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as critical has been reported in OpenSSH up to 7.3. This impacts an unknown function of the component Privilege Separation. This manipulation causes key management. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2016-10011. The attack can only be executed locally. There is no exploit available. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in OpenSSH up to 7.3 (Connectivity Software). Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown code of the component Privilege Separation. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a key management vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-320. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

authfile.c in sshd in OpenSSH before 7.4 does not properly consider the effects of realloc on buffer contents, which might allow local users to obtain sensitive private-key information by leveraging access to a privilege-separated child process.

The bug was discovered 12/19/2016. The weakness was shared 12/19/2016 by Jann Horn as release-7.4 as confirmed release notes (Website). The advisory is shared at openssh.com. The vendor cooperated in the coordination of the public release. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2016-10011 since 12/19/2016. An attack has to be approached locally. A single authentication is needed for exploitation. Neither technical details nor an exploit are publicly available. MITRE ATT&CK project uses the attack technique T1600.001 for this issue.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 96151 (OpenSSH < 7.4 Multiple Vulnerabilities), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Misc. and running in the context r. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 197025 (Ubuntu Security Notification for Openssh Vulnerabilities (USN-3538-1)).

Upgrading to version 7.4 eliminates this vulnerability. A possible mitigation has been published immediately after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (96151), SecurityFocus (BID 94977†), SecurityTracker (ID 1037490†) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2023-1996). The entries VDB-94607, VDB-94608, VDB-94610 and VDB-94611 are related to this item. Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Affected

  • Amazon Linux 2
  • FreeBSD Project FreeBSD OS
  • IBM AIX
  • Juniper JUNOS
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • NetApp Data ONTAP
  • Open Source OpenSSH
  • Ubuntu Linux
  • SUSE Linux
  • IBM VIOS
  • Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS
  • EMC Avamar
  • Dell NetWorker
  • Moxa Switch

Productinfo

Type

Name

Version

License

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.7
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.5

VulDB Base Score: 5.3
VulDB Temp Score: 4.8
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.5
NVD Vector: 🔍

ADP CISA Base Score: 6.2
ADP CISA Vector: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Key management
CWE: CWE-320
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: No

Availability: 🔍
Access: Public
Status: Proof-of-Concept
Download: 🔍

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 96151
Nessus Name: OpenSSH < 7.4 Multiple Vulnerabilities
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 801105
OpenVAS Name: Apple Mac OS X Multiple Vulnerabilities-HT207615
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Exploit-DB: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

Reaction Time: 🔍
0-Day Time: 🔍
Exposure Time: 🔍

Upgrade: OpenSSH 7.4
Patch: github.com

Timelineinfo

12/19/2016 🔍
12/19/2016 +0 days 🔍
12/19/2016 +0 days 🔍
12/19/2016 +0 days 🔍
12/19/2016 +0 days 🔍
12/20/2016 +1 days 🔍
12/20/2016 +0 days 🔍
12/27/2016 +7 days 🔍
01/04/2017 +8 days 🔍
05/30/2026 +3432 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Advisory: release-7.4
Researcher: Jann Horn
Status: Confirmed
Confirmation: 🔍
Coordinated: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2016-10011 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2016-10011
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-94609

OVAL: 🔍

SecurityFocus: 94977 - OpenSSH CVE-2016-10011 Local Information Disclosure Vulnerability
SecurityTracker: 1037490
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2023-1996 - OpenSSH: Mehrere Schwachstellen

scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20161013
See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 12/20/2016 10:26
Updated: 05/30/2026 01:39
Changes: 12/20/2016 10:26 (77), 07/11/2019 16:38 (11), 10/12/2022 11:28 (4), 10/12/2022 11:36 (1), 01/09/2026 20:44 (27), 05/30/2026 01:39 (13)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Discussion

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