Critical severity9.8NVD Advisory· Published Jul 20, 2023· Updated Jun 17, 2026
CVE-2023-38408
CVE-2023-38408
Description
The PKCS#11 feature in ssh-agent in OpenSSH before 9.3p2 has an insufficiently trustworthy search path, leading to remote code execution if an agent is forwarded to an attacker-controlled system. (Code in /usr/lib is not necessarily safe for loading into ssh-agent.) NOTE: this issue exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2016-10009.
AI Insight
LLM-synthesized narrative grounded in this CVE's description and references.
Affected products
87- OpenSSH/OpenSSHdescription
- osv-coords84 versionspkg:apk/chainguard/opensshpkg:apk/chainguard/openssh-clientpkg:apk/chainguard/openssh-docpkg:apk/chainguard/openssh-keygenpkg:apk/chainguard/openssh-keyscanpkg:apk/chainguard/openssh-keysignpkg:apk/chainguard/openssh-pam-configpkg:apk/chainguard/openssh-pam-configurationpkg:apk/chainguard/openssh-pkcs11-helperpkg:apk/chainguard/openssh-serverpkg:apk/chainguard/openssh-server-configpkg:apk/chainguard/openssh-servicepkg:apk/chainguard/openssh-sftp-serverpkg:apk/chainguard/openssh-sk-helperpkg:apk/wolfi/opensshpkg:apk/wolfi/openssh-clientpkg:apk/wolfi/openssh-docpkg:apk/wolfi/openssh-keygenpkg:apk/wolfi/openssh-keyscanpkg:apk/wolfi/openssh-keysignpkg:apk/wolfi/openssh-pam-configpkg:apk/wolfi/openssh-pam-configurationpkg:apk/wolfi/openssh-pkcs11-helperpkg:apk/wolfi/openssh-serverpkg:apk/wolfi/openssh-server-configpkg:apk/wolfi/openssh-servicepkg:apk/wolfi/openssh-sftp-serverpkg:apk/wolfi/openssh-sk-helperpkg:rpm/almalinux/opensshpkg:rpm/almalinux/openssh-askpasspkg:rpm/almalinux/openssh-cavspkg:rpm/almalinux/openssh-clientspkg:rpm/almalinux/openssh-keycatpkg:rpm/almalinux/openssh-ldappkg:rpm/almalinux/openssh-serverpkg:rpm/almalinux/pam_ssh_agent_authpkg:rpm/opensuse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=openSUSE%20Leap%2015.4pkg:rpm/opensuse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=openSUSE%20Leap%2015.5pkg:rpm/opensuse/openssh&distro=openSUSE%20Leap%2015.4pkg:rpm/opensuse/openssh&distro=openSUSE%20Leap%2015.5pkg:rpm/opensuse/openssh&distro=openSUSE%20Leap%20Micro%205.3pkg:rpm/opensuse/openssh&distro=openSUSE%20Tumbleweedpkg:rpm/suse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=SUSE%20Enterprise%20Storage%207pkg:rpm/suse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=SUSE%20Enterprise%20Storage%207.1pkg:rpm/suse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20High%20Performance%20Computing%2015%20SP1-LTSSpkg:rpm/suse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20High%20Performance%20Computing%2015%20SP2-LTSSpkg:rpm/suse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20High%20Performance%20Computing%2015%20SP3-ESPOSpkg:rpm/suse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20High%20Performance%20Computing%2015%20SP3-LTSSpkg:rpm/suse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Module%20for%20Desktop%20Applications%2015%20SP4pkg:rpm/suse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Module%20for%20Desktop%20Applications%2015%20SP5pkg:rpm/suse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Real%20Time%2015%20SP3pkg:rpm/suse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%2012%20SP2-BCLpkg:rpm/suse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%2012%20SP5pkg:rpm/suse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%2015%20SP1-LTSSpkg:rpm/suse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%2015%20SP2-LTSSpkg:rpm/suse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%2015%20SP3-LTSSpkg:rpm/suse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%20for%20SAP%20Applications%2012%20SP5pkg:rpm/suse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%20for%20SAP%20Applications%2015%20SP1pkg:rpm/suse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%20for%20SAP%20Applications%2015%20SP2pkg:rpm/suse/openssh-askpass-gnome&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%20for%20SAP%20Applications%2015%20SP3pkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Enterprise%20Storage%207pkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Enterprise%20Storage%207.1pkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20High%20Performance%20Computing%2015%20SP1-LTSSpkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20High%20Performance%20Computing%2015%20SP2-LTSSpkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20High%20Performance%20Computing%2015%20SP3-ESPOSpkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20High%20Performance%20Computing%2015%20SP3-LTSSpkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Micro%205.1pkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Micro%205.2pkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Micro%205.3pkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Micro%205.4pkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Module%20for%20Basesystem%2015%20SP4pkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Module%20for%20Basesystem%2015%20SP5pkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Real%20Time%2015%20SP3pkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%2012%20SP2-BCLpkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%2012%20SP5pkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%2015%20SP1-LTSSpkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%2015%20SP2-LTSSpkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%2015%20SP3-LTSSpkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%20for%20SAP%20Applications%2012%20SP5pkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%20for%20SAP%20Applications%2015%20SP1pkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%20for%20SAP%20Applications%2015%20SP2pkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%20for%20SAP%20Applications%2015%20SP3pkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Manager%20Proxy%204.2pkg:rpm/suse/openssh&distro=SUSE%20Manager%20Server%204.2
< 9.3_p2-r0+ 83 more
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
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- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3_p2-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 8.7p1-30.el9_2
- (no CPE)range: < 8.7p1-30.el9_2
- (no CPE)range: < 8.0p1-19.el8_8
- (no CPE)range: < 8.7p1-30.el9_2
- (no CPE)range: < 8.7p1-30.el9_2
- (no CPE)range: < 8.0p1-19.el8_8
- (no CPE)range: < 8.7p1-30.el9_2
- (no CPE)range: < 0.10.4-5.30.el9_2
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 9.3p2-1.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.1p1-150200.5.37.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 7.9p1-150100.6.31.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.1p1-150200.5.37.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 7.2p2-74.63.1
- (no CPE)range: < 7.2p2-81.4.2
- (no CPE)range: < 7.9p1-150100.6.31.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.1p1-150200.5.37.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 7.2p2-81.4.2
- (no CPE)range: < 7.9p1-150100.6.31.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.1p1-150200.5.37.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.1p1-150200.5.37.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 7.9p1-150100.6.31.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.1p1-150200.5.37.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 7.2p2-74.63.1
- (no CPE)range: < 7.2p2-81.4.2
- (no CPE)range: < 7.9p1-150100.6.31.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.1p1-150200.5.37.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 7.2p2-81.4.2
- (no CPE)range: < 7.9p1-150100.6.31.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.1p1-150200.5.37.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
- (no CPE)range: < 8.4p1-150300.3.22.1
Patches
Vulnerability mechanics
References
20- github.com/openbsd/src/commit/7bc29a9d5cd697290aa056e94ecee6253d3425f8nvdPatch
- github.com/openbsd/src/commit/f03a4faa55c4ce0818324701dadbf91988d7351dnvdPatch
- github.com/openbsd/src/commit/f8f5a6b003981bb824329dc987d101977beda7canvdPatch
- news.ycombinator.com/itemnvdIssue TrackingPatch
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/173661/OpenSSH-Forwarded-SSH-Agent-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlnvdExploitThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/07/20/1nvdExploitMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- www.qualys.com/2023/07/19/cve-2023-38408/rce-openssh-forwarded-ssh-agent.txtnvdExploitThird Party Advisory
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/07/20/2nvdMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- blog.qualys.com/vulnerabilities-threat-research/2023/07/19/cve-2023-38408-remote-code-execution-in-opensshs-forwarded-ssh-agentnvdThird Party Advisory
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/202307-01nvdThird Party Advisory
- www.openssh.com/security.htmlnvdVendor Advisory
- www.openssh.com/txt/release-9.3p2nvdRelease Notes
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/09/22/11nvd
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/09/22/9nvd
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/08/msg00021.htmlnvd
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/CEBTJJINE2I3FHAUKKNQWMFGYMLSMWKQ/nvd
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/RAXVQS6ZYTULFAK3TEJHRLKZALJS3AOU/nvd
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230803-0010/nvd
- support.apple.com/kb/HT213940nvd
- www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/exploring-opensshs-agent-forwarding-rce-cve-2023-38408nvd
News mentions
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