#VU78454 Untrusted search path in OpenSSH - CVE-2023-38408
Published: July 20, 2023 / Updated: January 9, 2026
Vulnerability identifier: #VU78454
Vulnerability risk: Medium
CVSSv4.0: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P/U:Green
CVE-ID: CVE-2023-38408
CWE-ID: CWE-426
Exploitation vector: Remote access
Exploit availability:
Public exploit is available
Vulnerable software:
OpenSSH
OpenSSH
Software vendor:
OpenSSH
OpenSSH
Description
The vulnerability allows a remote attacker to compromise the affected system.
The vulnerability exists due to usage of an insecure search path within the PKCS#11 feature in ssh-agent. A remote attacker can trick the victim into connecting to a malicious SSH server and execute arbitrary code on the system, if an agent is forwarded to an attacker-controlled system.
Note, this vulnerability exists due to incomplete fix for #VU2015 (CVE-2016-10009).
Remediation
Install updates from vendor's website.
External links
- https://github.com/openbsd/src/commit/7bc29a9d5cd697290aa056e94ecee6253d3425f8
- https://www.openssh.com/txt/release-9.3p2
- https://www.qualys.com/2023/07/19/cve-2023-38408/rce-openssh-forwarded-ssh-agent.txt
- https://blog.qualys.com/vulnerabilities-threat-research/2023/07/19/cve-2023-38408-remote-code-execution-in-opensshs-forwarded-ssh-agent
- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36790196
- https://github.com/openbsd/src/commit/f8f5a6b003981bb824329dc987d101977beda7ca
- https://github.com/openbsd/src/commit/f03a4faa55c4ce0818324701dadbf91988d7351d
- https://www.openssh.com/security.html
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202307-01