CVE-2026-60002
Description
A flaw was found in OpenSSH. A remote attacker could exploit a use-after-free vulnerability on the client side when a server changes its host key during a key re-exchange. This could lead to high impact on confidentiality and integrity, and low impact on availability.
Statement
This Important flaw in OpenSSH client could allow a malicious SSH server to execute arbitrary code on the connecting client due to a use-after-free vulnerability during host key re-exchange. While requiring a connection to a specially crafted server, the potential for high impact on client confidentiality and integrity elevates the severity beyond Moderate.
Mitigation
To mitigate this issue, OpenSSH clients should only connect to trusted SSH servers. Enforcing strict host key checking and carefully managing `known_hosts` files can help prevent connections to servers with unexpected or altered host keys, thereby reducing exposure to this client-side vulnerability.
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 Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 7.7 | 9.4 | 7.7 |
| Attack Vector | Network | Network | Network |
| Attack Complexity | High | Low | High |
| Privileges Required | None | None | None |
| User Interaction | None | None | None |
| Scope | Unchanged | Unchanged | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | High | High | High |
| Integrity Impact | High | High | High |
| Availability Impact | Low | Low | Low |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L
NVD: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Confidentiality
Technical Impact: Read Memory
If the expired pointer is used in a read operation, an attacker might be able to control data read in by the application.
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
If the expired pointer references a memory location that is not accessible to the product, or points to a location that is "malformed" (such as NULL) or larger than expected by a read or write operation, then a crash may occur.
Integrity,Confidentiality,Availability
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
If the expired pointer is used in a function call, or points to unexpected data in a write operation, then code execution may be possible.
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