CVE-2026-0968: NULL Pointer Dereference in Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
CVE-2026-0968 is a vulnerability in libssh used by Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 where a malformed 'longname' field in an SFTP message can cause a NULL pointer dereference. This flaw can lead to reading beyond allocated heap memory, resulting in application crashes and denial of service (DoS). The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 3.1, indicating low severity. Red Hat has released official patches addressing this issue as part of a libssh update. The update is available for multiple architectures and versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10. No known exploits are reported in the wild.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
The vulnerability CVE-2026-0968 affects libssh in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10. It arises from a missing null check on the 'longname' field within an SSH_FXP_NAME message during SFTP file listing operations. A malicious SFTP server can send a malformed message that triggers a NULL pointer dereference, causing the application to read beyond allocated heap memory. This can lead to unexpected behavior or denial of service due to crashes. Red Hat has rated the security impact as Moderate and assigned a CVSS v3.1 base score of 3.1 (low severity). Official patches have been released in libssh version 0.12.0-2.el10 and are available for various supported architectures and update streams. The vendor advisory confirms the fix and provides guidance for applying the update.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability can cause denial of service by crashing applications using libssh due to NULL pointer dereference and heap memory read beyond allocated bounds. There is no impact on confidentiality or integrity reported. No known exploits in the wild have been observed. The CVSS score of 3.1 reflects a low severity impact focused on availability disruption.
Mitigation Recommendations
Red Hat has released an official security update for libssh (version 0.12.0-2.el10) that addresses CVE-2026-0968 along with related vulnerabilities. Users of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 should apply the provided libssh update as detailed in the Red Hat advisory (RHSA-2026:18160) and the update article https://access.redhat.com/articles/11258. Applying this update fully mitigates the vulnerability. No additional mitigation steps are required beyond installing the official patch.
CVE-2026-0968: NULL Pointer Dereference in Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
Description
CVE-2026-0968 is a vulnerability in libssh used by Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 where a malformed 'longname' field in an SFTP message can cause a NULL pointer dereference. This flaw can lead to reading beyond allocated heap memory, resulting in application crashes and denial of service (DoS). The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 3.1, indicating low severity. Red Hat has released official patches addressing this issue as part of a libssh update. The update is available for multiple architectures and versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10. No known exploits are reported in the wild.
CVSS v3.1
Score 3.1low
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
The vulnerability CVE-2026-0968 affects libssh in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10. It arises from a missing null check on the 'longname' field within an SSH_FXP_NAME message during SFTP file listing operations. A malicious SFTP server can send a malformed message that triggers a NULL pointer dereference, causing the application to read beyond allocated heap memory. This can lead to unexpected behavior or denial of service due to crashes. Red Hat has rated the security impact as Moderate and assigned a CVSS v3.1 base score of 3.1 (low severity). Official patches have been released in libssh version 0.12.0-2.el10 and are available for various supported architectures and update streams. The vendor advisory confirms the fix and provides guidance for applying the update.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability can cause denial of service by crashing applications using libssh due to NULL pointer dereference and heap memory read beyond allocated bounds. There is no impact on confidentiality or integrity reported. No known exploits in the wild have been observed. The CVSS score of 3.1 reflects a low severity impact focused on availability disruption.
Mitigation Recommendations
Red Hat has released an official security update for libssh (version 0.12.0-2.el10) that addresses CVE-2026-0968 along with related vulnerabilities. Users of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 should apply the provided libssh update as detailed in the Red Hat advisory (RHSA-2026:18160) and the update article https://access.redhat.com/articles/11258. Applying this update fully mitigates the vulnerability. No additional mitigation steps are required beyond installing the official patch.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- redhat
- Date Reserved
- 2026-01-14T21:55:14.053Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.0
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Vendor Advisory Urls
- [{"url":"https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-0968","vendor":"Red Hat"}]
Threat ID: 69c5a54c3c064ed76fcfc868
Added to database: 03/26/2026, 21:29:48 UTC
Last enriched: 06/03/2026, 21:15:44 UTC
Last updated: 07/31/2026, 19:22:57 UTC
Views: 154
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