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Vulnerability record · CVE-2016-1908 · published 11 April 2017

CVE-2016-1908: Openbsd openssh improper authentication vulnerability

Openbsd · Openssh

The client in OpenSSH before 7.2 mishandles failed cookie generation for untrusted X11 forwarding and relies on the local X11 server for access-control decisions, which allows remote X11 clients to trigger a fallback and obtain trusted X11 forwarding privileges by leveraging configuration issues on this X11 server, as demonstrated by lack of the SECURITY extension on this X11 server.

9.8 CVSS 3.1 Critical EPSS 14% · top 3.6% CWE-287 · Improper authentication
9.8CVSS 3.1 base score, v2 7.5
14%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
9Affected product versions listed by NVD
24References
17 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

The client in OpenSSH before 7.2 mishandles failed cookie generation for untrusted X11 forwarding and relies on the local X11 server for access-control decisions, which allows remote X11 clients to trigger a fallback and obtain trusted X11 forwarding privileges by leveraging configuration issues on this X11 server, as demonstrated by lack of the SECURITY extension on this X11 server.

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected products

9 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/01/15/13 Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-0465.html Third Party Advisory
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-0741.html Third Party Advisory
http://www.openssh.com/txt/release-7.2 Release NotesVendor Advisory
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinapr2016-2952096.html Third Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/84427 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1034705 Broken LinkThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://anongit.mindrot.org/openssh.git/commit/?id=ed4ce82dbfa8a3a3c8ea6fa0db113c71e234416c PatchThird Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1298741 Issue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-412672.pdf
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/09/msg00010.html Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201612-18 Third Party Advisory
http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/01/15/13 Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-0465.html Third Party Advisory
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-0741.html Third Party Advisory
http://www.openssh.com/txt/release-7.2 Release NotesVendor Advisory
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinapr2016-2952096.html Third Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/84427 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1034705 Broken LinkThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://anongit.mindrot.org/openssh.git/commit/?id=ed4ce82dbfa8a3a3c8ea6fa0db113c71e234416c PatchThird Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1298741 Issue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-412672.pdf
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/09/msg00010.html Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201612-18 Third Party Advisory

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2016-1908), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-26). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.