CVE-2016-20012
OpenSSH through 8.7 allows remote attackers, who have a suspicion that a certain combination of username and public key is known to an SSH server, to test whether this suspicion is correct. This
02 Description
OpenSSH through 8.7 allows remote attackers, who have a suspicion that a certain combination of username and public key is known to an SSH server, to test whether this suspicion is correct. This
03 Exploitation and scoring
- Exploitation
- Assessed, none found. CISA's assessment recorded neither public exploit code nor evidence of exploitation when it was made.
- SSVC decision
- ExploitationnoneCISA recorded no public exploit code and no evidence of exploitation.
- AutomatableyesAn attacker can reliably automate reconnaissance through exploitation, so this scales.
- Technical ImpactpartialSuccessful exploitation gives limited control of the vulnerable component.
- EPSS probability
- 5.32% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days.
- EPSS percentile
- Equal to or higher than the score of 92.4% of scored records. A rank, not a probability.
- NVD base score
- 5.3 (CVSS v3.x), scored by the NVD independently of the CNA.
- NVD CVSS vector
- CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
- NVD analysis status
- Modified. NVD last modified this record on 2026-06-17.
- Red Hat severity
- Low. Red Hat's rating for its own products, not a CVSS rating.
Exploit-prediction scores from FIRST. Independent scoring and analysis status from the NVD. Vendor severity from Red Hat. Exploitation assessment and catalog membership from CISA.
04 Metadata
- Published
- 2021-09-15 19:32Z5 YR AGO
- Last updated
- 2026-05-29 15:38Z5 MO AGO
- Reserved
- 2021-09-15
- Assigning CNA
- mitre
- Record state
- PUBLISHED
- Severity
- Medium (CVSS 5.3)
- CNA CVSS vector
- CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
- Weaknesses
- Data version
- 5.2
- Document digest
- 3388ed6bee25c8224aaa6b00b57356cf3b7e437e19155a575e18a11b00d8ea20
05 Affected products
06 References
- github.comhttps://github.com/openssh/openssh-portable/pull/270
- github.comhttps://github.com/openssh/openssh-portable/blob/d0fffc88c8fe90c1815c6f4097bc8cbcabc0f3dd/auth2-pubkey.c#L261-L265
- utcc.utoronto.cahttps://utcc.utoronto.ca/~cks/space/blog/tech/SSHKeysAreInfoLeak
- rushter.comhttps://rushter.com/blog/public-ssh-keys/
- security.netapp.comhttps://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20211014-0005/
- github.comhttps://github.com/openssh/openssh-portable/pull/270#issuecomment-920577097
- www.openwall.comhttps://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2018/08/24/1
- github.comhttps://github.com/openssh/openssh-portable/pull/270#issuecomment-943909185
07 Fixed in
Arch Linux
- openssh Fixed in 8.9p1-1
Source: Arch Linux Security Tracker, the Arch Linux security team. Reformatted by exploit.cc.
Debian 12
- openssh No fix yet
Source: Debian Security Tracker, the Debian security team. Received through OSV.dev. Reformatted by exploit.cc.
Debian 13
- openssh No fix yet
Source: Debian Security Tracker, the Debian security team. Received through OSV.dev. Reformatted by exploit.cc.
Debian 14
- openssh No fix yet
Source: Debian Security Tracker, the Debian security team. Received through OSV.dev. Reformatted by exploit.cc.
Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
- openssh-ssh1 No fix yet
Source: Ubuntu, Canonical Ltd. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Received through OSV.dev. Reformatted by exploit.cc.
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS
- openssh-ssh1 No fix yet
Source: Ubuntu, Canonical Ltd. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Received through OSV.dev. Reformatted by exploit.cc.
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
- openssh No fix yet
- openssh-ssh1 No fix yet
Source: Ubuntu, Canonical Ltd. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Received through OSV.dev. Reformatted by exploit.cc.
Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS
- openssh No fix yet
Source: Ubuntu, Canonical Ltd. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Received through OSV.dev. Reformatted by exploit.cc.
Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS
- openssh No fix yet
Source: Ubuntu, Canonical Ltd. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Received through OSV.dev. Reformatted by exploit.cc.
Ubuntu Pro 18.04 LTS
- openssh No fix yet
Source: Ubuntu, Canonical Ltd. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Received through OSV.dev. Reformatted by exploit.cc.
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS
- openssh No fix yet
Source: Ubuntu, Canonical Ltd. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Received through OSV.dev. Reformatted by exploit.cc.
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 16.04 LTS
- openssh No fix yet
Source: Ubuntu, Canonical Ltd. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Received through OSV.dev. Reformatted by exploit.cc.
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 18.04 LTS
- openssh No fix yet
Source: Ubuntu, Canonical Ltd. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Received through OSV.dev. Reformatted by exploit.cc.
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 20.04 LTS
- openssh No fix yet
Source: Ubuntu, Canonical Ltd. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Received through OSV.dev. Reformatted by exploit.cc.
Ubuntu Pro FIPS 16.04 LTS
- openssh No fix yet
Source: Ubuntu, Canonical Ltd. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Received through OSV.dev. Reformatted by exploit.cc.
Ubuntu Pro FIPS 18.04 LTS
- openssh No fix yet
Source: Ubuntu, Canonical Ltd. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Received through OSV.dev. Reformatted by exploit.cc.
Ubuntu Pro FIPS 20.04 LTS
- openssh No fix yet
Source: Ubuntu, Canonical Ltd. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Received through OSV.dev. Reformatted by exploit.cc.
A release or ecosystem missing from this list has no record here. It may be unaffected or not covered by the source. Source notices and licences.