CVE-2025-26466: OpenSSH · Unthrottled Resource Allocation
Affects OpenSSHSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · 38% EPSS · CVSS 5.9 Medium.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 09:29 UTC
- EPSS
- 38.6% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 98% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 28 Feb 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| OpenSSH | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Debiandebian/opensshpkg:deb/debian/opensshOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
AI-suggested
The Red Hat advisory URL is provided but does not explicitly mention a fix or workaround. Until a patch is available, consider limiting incoming SSH connections or applying rate limiting on ping packets if possible.
Description
A flaw was found in the OpenSSH package. For each ping packet the SSH server receives, a pong packet is allocated in a memory buffer and stored in a queue of packages. It is only freed when the server/client key exchange has finished. A malicious client may keep sending such packages, leading to an uncontrolled increase in memory consumption on the server side. Consequently, the server may become unavailable, resulting in a denial of service attack.
References
- access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-26466 (opens in a new tab)
- bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2345043 (opens in a new tab)
- seclists.org/oss-sec/2025/q1/144 (opens in a new tab)
- qualys.com/2025/02/18/openssh-mitm-dos.txt (opens in a new tab)
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20250228-0002/ (opens in a new tab)
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/02/18/1 (opens in a new tab)
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/02/18/4 (opens in a new tab)
- bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1237041 (opens in a new tab)
- security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2025-26466 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2025-26466 (opens in a new tab)
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/May/8 (opens in a new tab)
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/May/7 (opens in a new tab)
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Feb/18 (opens in a new tab)
- vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-26466-detection-script-memory-consumption-vulnerability-in-openssh (opens in a new tab)
- vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-26466-mitigation-script-memory-consumption-vulnerability-in-openssh (opens in a new tab)
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHBA-2025:6305 (opens in a new tab)
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2025:6993 (opens in a new tab)
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html (opens in a new tab)