CVE-2026-123158: sshd in OpenSSH before 10.6p2 on Linux, when musl libc is used without PAM, lacks a workaround for a password authentication bypass (related…
Noroxi assessment
Priority: This week (action score 68/100)
- CISA has confirmed exploitation in the wild (Nov 9, 2026). Remediation deadline for US federal agencies: Nov 12, 2026.
- A ready-made attack module is public (Nuclei); exploiting it takes no special expertise.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 18.9% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 97.3% of all records.
- This probability rose by 18 points in the last 7 days.
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. Special conditions such as timing or configuration are required.
- Fixed version: azl3 openssh 9.8p1-10 on Azure Linux 3.0 Release Notes.
Don’t wait for the next maintenance window. Upgrade to azl3 openssh 9.8p1-10 on Azure Linux 3.0 Release Notes or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · CISA KEV · FIRST EPSS
sshd in OpenSSH before 10.6p2 on Linux, when musl libc is used without PAM, lacks a workaround for a password authentication bypass (related to misinterpretation of whether a string is intended to be a password hash). For some configurations of accounts, any password between 256 and 1024 characters succeeds. An example of a platform using musl libc without PAM is Alpine Linux.
- Published
- Nov 5, 2026
- Updated
- Nov 10, 2026
- EPSS
- 18.9% · 97th percentile▲ 18
- CWE
- CWE-394
Report tools
Action score
68
Don’t wait for the next maintenance window.
- CVSS
- 32 / 40 · 8.1 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 30 / 30 · Listed
- EPSS
- 6 / 30 · 18.9%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- active
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- —
- CNA · mitre
- 8.1
- NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Actively exploited in the wild
CISA added this to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Nov 9, 2026. That signals real attacks, not theory.
Remediation deadline for US federal agencies: Nov 12, 2026.
Get told when this record changes
- In CISA KEV: exploitation in the wild confirmed
- Weaponized exploit exists
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
Is OpenSSH on your server exposed to the internet?Run a port scan
Is your version affected? Check itNoroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| openbsd | openssh | cpe:2.3:a:openbsd:openssh |
| alpinelinux | alpine linux | cpe:2.3:o:alpinelinux:alpine_linux |
Is OpenSSH on your server exposed to the internet?
The free port scanner finds the open ports on your server and matches the service versions it can read against known vulnerabilities. No account needed.
Run a port scanVersions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (mitre). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
OpenBSD OpenSSH
- before 10.6p2affected
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- openbsd opensshbefore 10.6
- openbsd openssh10.6
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine:v3.16 | openssh | before 9.0_p1-r6 | 9.0_p1-r6 |
| Alpine:v3.17 | openssh | before 9.1_p1-r7 | 9.1_p1-r7 |
| Alpine:v3.18 | openssh | before 9.3_p2-r4 | 9.3_p2-r4 |
| Alpine:v3.19 | openssh | before 9.6_p1-r3 | 9.6_p1-r3 |
| Alpine:v3.20 | openssh | before 9.7_p1-r6 | 9.7_p1-r6 |
| Alpine:v3.21 | openssh | before 9.9_p2-r1 | 9.9_p2-r1 |
| Alpine:v3.22 | openssh | before 10.0_p1-r11 | 10.0_p1-r11 |
| Alpine:v3.23 | openssh | before 10.2_p1-r1 | 10.2_p1-r1 |
| Alpine:v3.24 | openssh | before 10.3_p1-r2 | 10.3_p1-r2 |
| Debian:12 | openssh | from 0 | — |
| Debian:14 | openssh | before 1:10.6p2-1 | 1:10.6p2-1 |
| Debian:14 | openssh-gssapi | before 1:10.6p2-1 | 1:10.6p2-1 |
Same product
openbsd: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2023-38408The PKCS#11 feature in ssh-agent in OpenSSH before 9.3p2 has an insufficiently trustworthy search path, leading to remote code execution if…63This week
- CVE-2018-15473OpenSSH through 7.7 is prone to a user enumeration vulnerability due to not delaying bailout for an invalid authenticating user until after…60This week
- CVE-2016-6210sshd in OpenSSH before 7.3, when SHA256 or SHA512 are used for user password hashing, uses BLOWFISH hashing on a static password when the…60This week
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2026-106588Oct 6, 2026 · In sshd in OpenSSH through 10.6, use of the macOS 27 (or later) SDK has the side effect of loss of sandboxing, which is potentially…12Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2026-106589Oct 6, 2026 · In sshd in OpenSSH through 10.6, in certain environments such as QNX 6 and SCO OpenServer 5, sshd-session can unexpectedly have root…11Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2026-106583Oct 7, 2026 · In ssh in OpenSSH before 10.6, a $ or \ character can occur in a command-line username, leading to injection.31Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| azl3 openssh 9.8p1-10 on Azure Linux 3.0 | Release Notes | Microsoft (MSRC) |
| alpine:openssh | 9.0_p1-r6 · Alpine:v3.16 | Package registry (OSV) |
| debian:openssh | 1:10.6p2-1 · Debian:14 | Package registry (OSV) |
| debian:openssh-gssapi | 1:10.6p2-1 · Debian:14 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
Weaponized
A ready exploit tool or active in-the-wild use is known for this vulnerability. This should be your top priority.
Evidence
- Nuclei detection template ×1
- Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub ×36
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | 36 repositories | 2026-11-05 → 2026-11-12 |
| Nuclei detection template | Nuclei template CVE-2026-123158 | — |
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
- First PoC-1 d
- Published
- Fix recorded+1 d
- CISA KEV+3 d
- TodayNov 13, 2026+8 d
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
Not on record for this CVE: researcher credit · variant or chain candidate · public bounty program.
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- Special conditions such as timing or configuration are required.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- High
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-394 · Unexpected Status Code or Return ValueCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-secondary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Change log
- Exploit maturitypoc → weaponized
- KEV✗ → ✓
- SSVC exploitationpoc → active
- Fix✗ → ✓
- Exploit maturitynone → poc
- SSVC exploitation— → poc
- Exploit maturity— → none
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (15 more)Show less
- hachyderm.io/@damienmiller/117563026759098135
- marc.info/?l=openssh-unix-dev&m=179388064263131&w=2
- news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50377976
- news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50378228
- www.openssh.org/releasenotes.html#10.6p2
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/11/09/27
- alpinelinux.org/posts/2026-11-05-openssh-password-authentication-bypass/
- github.com/coollabsio/coolify/discussions/12484
- github.com/google/goonami-scanner/pull/277
- github.com/panubo/docker-sshd/issues/93
- news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50379704
- isc.sans.edu/diary.html?storyid=33498
- sshhole.com
- sshole.events.greynoise.io/
- www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-123158
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.