Unrated severityNVD Advisory· Published Jun 17, 2026· Updated Jun 18, 2026
libssh2 - Pre-Authentication DoS via SSH_MSG_EXT_INFO Handler
CVE-2026-55199
Description
libssh2 through 1.11.1, fixed in commit 1762685, contains a pre-authentication denial of service vulnerability in the SSH_MSG_EXT_INFO handler in src/packet.c that allows a malicious SSH server to cause a client CPU exhaustion loop by sending a crafted extension count value. A malicious server can set nr_extensions to 0xFFFFFFFF during key exchange, causing the client to spin in a tight CPU loop for over 60 seconds because return values from _libssh2_get_string() are unchecked and the session timeout does not apply to CPU-bound loops.
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Affected products
1Patches
Vulnerability mechanics
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References
3- github.com/libssh2/libssh2/commit/17626857d20b3c9a1addfa45979dadcee1cd84a4mitrepatch
- www.vulncheck.com/advisories/libssh2-pre-authentication-dos-via-ssh-msg-ext-info-handlermitrethird-party-advisory
- github.com/libssh2/libssh2/pull/1864mitreissue-tracking
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