CVE-2026-0965

Description

A flaw was found in libssh where it can attempt to open arbitrary files during configuration parsing. A local attacker can exploit this by providing a malicious configuration file or when the system is misconfigured. This vulnerability could lead to a Denial of Service (DoS) by causing the system to try and access dangerous files, such as block devices or large system files, which can disrupt normal operations.

Mitigation

Ensure the client and server are using only regular files as configuration.

Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details

Info alert:Important note

CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).

CVSS v3 Score Breakdown

Red HatNVDcve.org
Base Score3.3N/A3.3
Attack VectorLocalN/ALocal
Attack ComplexityLowN/ALow
Privileges RequiredLowN/ALow
User InteractionNoneN/ANone
ScopeUnchangedN/AUnchanged
ConfidentialityNoneN/ANone
Integrity ImpactNoneN/ANone
Availability ImpactLowN/ALow

Vector

Red Hat: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

cve.org: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

Understanding the Weakness (CWE)

Integrity,Confidentiality

Technical Impact: Read Files or Directories; Modify Files or Directories

The application can operate on unexpected files. Confidentiality is violated when the targeted filename is not directly readable by the attacker.

Integrity,Confidentiality,Availability

Technical Impact: Modify Files or Directories; Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands

The application can operate on unexpected files. This may violate integrity if the filename is written to, or if the filename is for a program or other form of executable code.

Availability

Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart; DoS: Resource Consumption (Other)

The application can operate on unexpected files. Availability can be violated if the attacker specifies an unexpected file that the application modifies. Availability can also be affected if the attacker specifies a filename for a large file, or points to a special device or a file that does not have the format that the application expects.

Acknowledgements

Red Hat would like to thank Jakub Jelen (libssh) and Kang Yang for reporting this issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

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