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HIGH

CVE-2019-16905

CVSS v3

7.8

HIGH

EPSS Score

0.3 %

exploit probability

CISA KEV

No

known exploited

Exploitation

SSVC status

Description

OpenSSH 7.7 through 7.9 and 8.x before 8.1, when compiled with an experimental key type, has a pre-authentication integer overflow if a client or server is configured to use a crafted XMSS key. This leads to memory corruption and local code execution because of an error in the XMSS key parsing algorithm. NOTE: the XMSS implementation is considered experimental in all released OpenSSH versions, and there is no supported way to enable it when building portable OpenSSH.

Technical details

Published
2019-10-09

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2019-16905?

OpenSSH 7.7 through 7.9 and 8.x before 8.1, when compiled with an experimental key type, has a pre-authentication integer overflow if a client or server is configured to use a crafted XMSS key. This leads to memory corruption and local code execution because of an error in the XMSS key parsing algorithm. NOTE: the XMSS implementation is considered experimental in all released OpenSSH versions, and there is no supported way to enable it when building portable OpenSSH.

Is CVE-2019-16905 actively exploited?

Active exploitation of CVE-2019-16905 has not been confirmed. The EPSS score is 0.3%, indicating the estimated probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What is the CVSS score for CVE-2019-16905?

CVE-2019-16905 has a CVSS v3 base score of 7.8 (HIGH severity).

Is CVE-2019-16905 affecting your environment?

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