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CVE-2016-6515

7.5 · HIGH

The auth_password function in auth-passwd.c in sshd in OpenSSH before 7.3 does not limit password lengths for password authentication, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (cr…

Published Aug 7, 2016CWE-20EPSS 58.57%

Overview

CVE-2016-6515 is a high-severity vulnerability. It was published on August 7, 2016 and has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 7.5 (HIGH).

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 7.5, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.

Technical description

The auth_password function in auth-passwd.c in sshd in OpenSSH before 7.3 does not limit password lengths for password authentication, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crypt CPU consumption) via a long string.

Remediation

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

References

Refopenwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/08/01/2Refpacketstormsecurity.com/files/140070/OpenSSH-7.2-Denial-Of-Service.htmlRefwww.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2017-3236626.htmlRefwww.securityfocus.com/bid/92212Refwww.securitytracker.com/id/1036487Refaccess.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:2029Refcert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-412672.pdfRefcert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-676336.pdfGitHubgithub.com/openssh/openssh-portable/commit/fcd135c9df440bcd2d5870405ad3311743d78d97Reflists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/09/msg00010.html

How CyberStrike helps

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-6515?

CVE-2016-6515 is a high-severity vulnerability. It was published on August 7, 2016 and has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 7.5 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2016-6515?

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 7.5, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.

How do I fix or remediate CVE-2016-6515?

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2016-6515?

CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2016-6515 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.

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