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Full vulnerability report · 2026
CVE-2026-66032High confidence

libssh2 Double-Free Heap Corruption via sftp_open()

libssh2 · libssh2

8.7HighCVSS 4.0
Recommended action
Within 7 days

High technical severity; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance.

Patch available
R
Operational reassessment

Published severity in operational context

Open reassessment dashboard →
Published severityHighOperational priority:High, unchanged from published severity.unchanged

Evidence used

  • No CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
  • EPSS is 0.45% for the current model date.

Compensating controls

  • Validate the affected product branch and deploy the verified fixed release.
  • Restrict the affected network interface to trusted sources where business-safe.
  • Monitor vendor guidance and exploitation sources for a material change.

Verification

  1. Confirm that the asset runs libssh2 libssh2 and falls inside the recorded affected range.
  2. Verify the installed build against the product-specific fixed version after deployment.
  3. Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
  4. Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
Mitigation target: Within 30 daysRemediation target: Within 180 days

This automated reassessment organises public evidence. It does not know asset exposure, business impact or control effectiveness and does not replace CVSS or a human risk decision.

Distribution package intelligence

Release-specific package status

Debian, ubuntu findings are scoped to the named distribution, release and source package. An absent finding does not mean a package is unaffected.

5 package states
Repository candidate not checked

A published vendor fix does not prove that a matching update is enabled and installable on a particular asset. Confirm the local package candidate before scheduling remediation.

Distribution releaseSource packageVendor stateFixed versionEvidence
Debian trixietrixie · sourcelibssh2Vendor fix publishedDebian records a fixed source-package version for this release.1.11.1-1+deb13u2Debian Security Tracker ↗Source updated 6 Oct 2026
Debian bookwormbookworm · sourcelibssh2Vendor fix publishedDebian records a fixed source-package version for this release.1.10.0-3+deb12u1Debian Security Tracker ↗Source updated 6 Oct 2026
Debian forkyforky · sourcelibssh2Vendor fix publishedDebian records a fixed source-package version for this release.1.11.1-5Debian Security Tracker ↗Source updated 6 Oct 2026
Debian sidsid · sourcelibssh2Vendor fix publishedDebian records a fixed source-package version for this release.1.11.1-5Debian Security Tracker ↗Source updated 6 Oct 2026
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSnoble · standard archivelibssh2Vendor fix publishedCanonical reports that a fixed source package version has been published. Repository candidate availability is not checked by BlackTree.1.11.0-4.1ubuntu0.24.04.4Canonical Ubuntu Security ↗Source updated 5 Oct 2026
Direct vendor intelligence

Authoritative vendor CSAF and VEX advisories

Structured product status and remediation from the issuing vendor. Product-state explanations are always visible; large lists can be searched or downloaded.

1 current
CVE-2026-66032 · CSAF 2.0 · revision 3 · finalRed Hat Product Securitylibssh2: libssh2: Arbitrary code execution via double-free in SFTP session
4 known affected

The vendor explicitly identifies these products as affected by this CVE.

  • libssh2 as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
  • libssh2-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
  • libssh2-docs as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
  • libssh2.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
Summary
A flaw was found in libssh2. A malicious SSH (Secure Shell) server can exploit a double-free vulnerability in the sftp_open() function. This flaw allows the server to corrupt the heap memory of an authenticated client when it opens an SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) session. This heap corruption can lead to arbitrary code execution on the client system, giving the attacker control over the affected system.
Remediation
For details on how to apply this update, which includes the changes described in this advisory, refer to: https://access.redhat.com/articles/11258
Optional official sources

National CERT insights
?CERT means Computer Emergency Response Team; CSIRT is the closely related term Computer Security Incident Response Team.

Choose official national sources for this report. Each advisory shows its original language. Your selection is remembered on this device and included in shared links.

Official European source

ENISA European Vulnerability Database

Official EUVD identifiers, advisory evidence and known-exploited context. Missing fields are not treated as evidence of low risk.

1 current
ENISA EUVD identifier

EUVD-2026-48719

No EUVD known-exploited evidence

ENISA has published the identifier mapping but no EUVD description has been stored yet.

EUVD state
Present in the current official mapping
Known exploitation
Not present in the current ENISA EUVD known-exploited dataset. This is not proof of no exploitation.
ENISA score
Not supplied in the stored EUVD record
Advisory evidence
No linked advisory details stored yet
Recommended actionWithin 7 days

High technical severity; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance.

Patch available
01

What, why and how

libssh2 through 1.11.1, fixed in commit 5e47761, contains a double-free vulnerability in the sftp_open() function in src/sftp.c that allows a malicious SSH server to corrupt the heap of any authenticated client opening an SFTP session. When a server responds to SSH_FXP_OPEN with SSH_FXP_STATUS containing FX_OK, the response data buffer is freed, and if a subsequent sftp_packet_require() call returns a specific error such as LIBSSH2_ERROR_CHANNEL_PACKET_EXCEEDED, the same pointer is freed a second time, enabling tcache dup conditions on glibc systems that allow overlapping allocations and function pointer overwrites.

What

libssh2 through 1.11.1, fixed in commit 5e47761, contains a double-free vulnerability in the sftp_open() function in src/sftp.c that allows a malicious SSH server to corrupt the heap of any authenticated client opening an SFTP session. When a server responds to SSH_FXP_OPEN with SSH_FXP_STATUS containing FX_OK, the response data buffer is freed, and if a subsequent sftp_packet_require() call returns a specific error such as LIBSSH2_ERROR_CHANNEL_PACKET_EXCEEDED, the same pointer is freed a second time, enabling tcache dup conditions on glibc systems that allow overlapping allocations and function pointer overwrites.

Why

The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.

How

An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation when the stated preconditions are met. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.

What

libssh2 through 1.11.1, fixed in commit 5e47761, contains a double-free vulnerability in the sftp_open() function in src/sftp.c that allows a malicious SSH server to corrupt the heap of any authenticated client opening an SFTP session. When a server responds to SSH_FXP_OPEN with SSH_FXP_STATUS containing FX_OK, the response data buffer is freed, and if a subsequent sftp_packet_require() call returns a specific error such as LIBSSH2_ERROR_CHANNEL_PACKET_EXCEEDED, the same pointer is freed a second time, enabling tcache dup conditions on glibc systems that allow overlapping allocations and function pointer overwrites.

Why

The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.

How

An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation when the stated preconditions are met. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.

02

Exploit reality and attack path

CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.

Observed exploitation
?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.
No confirmed evidence

No CISA KEV match was present at the last successful refresh. This means no confirmation from that source, not proof of no exploitation.

Public PoC / exploit material
?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.
None recorded

No exploit-tagged reference or CISA SSVC proof-of-concept state is currently recorded. Research may still exist outside the structured feeds.

Likely attack path
a network path → Double Free → cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor
Attack surface
Network
Privileges required
None: unauthenticated exploitation is possible
User interaction
Passive interaction required
Attack complexity
Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
Security boundary
Not a CVSS 4.0 base metric
Weakness
?CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness.
CWE-415 ↗

CWE-415: Double Free. The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.

CVSS vector
?CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity.
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Common Vulnerability Scoring System 4.0: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.

AVNetworkAttack vector: The vulnerable component can be reached over a network.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.ATNoneAttack requirements: No additional deployment or execution condition is required.PRNonePrivileges required: The attacker does not need an account or existing privileges.UIPassiveUser interaction: A user must unknowingly interact with the vulnerable system.VCHighVulnerable-system confidentiality: A successful attack can cause a major loss.VIHighVulnerable-system integrity: A successful attack can cause a major loss.VAHighVulnerable-system availability: A successful attack can cause a major loss.SCNoneSubsequent-system confidentiality: No direct loss is represented by this metric.SINoneSubsequent-system integrity: No direct loss is represented by this metric.SANoneSubsequent-system availability: No direct loss is represented by this metric.
Post-exploitation / living off the land
No specific living-off-the-land technique is confirmed in the structured sources. Monitor normal administration tools for activity inconsistent with the affected service's baseline.
NetworkUnauthenticatedCWE-415
A

Official authority intelligence

Only matched European and national findings are included. Language selectors and unavailable sources are omitted.

BSI · German · WID-SEC-2026-2516libssh2: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Ein entfernter, anonymer Angreifer kann mehrere Schwachstellen in libssh2 ausnutzen, um möglicherweise vertrauliche Informationen offenzulegen, einen Denial-of-Service-Zustand herbeizuführen oder beliebigen Code auszuführen.

Official advisory ↗
Cyber Security Agency of Singapore · English · CSA-SB-20260729Security Bulletin 29 Jul 2026

The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore included this CVE in its official Security Bulletin 29 Jul 2026, published on 29 July 2026. Open the linked bulletin for the product, severity and reference information published in that issue.

Official advisory ↗
JVN iPedia · Japanese · JVNDB-2026-027257libssh2.orgのlibssh2における二重解放に関する脆弱性

libssh2 バージョン 1.11.1 まで(コミット 5e47761で修正済み)には、src/sftp.c の sftp_open() 関数にダブルフリーの脆弱性が存在します。この脆弱性により、悪意のある SSH サーバーが SFTP セッションを開いている認証済みクライアントのヒープを破壊することが可能です。サーバーが SSH_FXP_OPEN に対して FX_OK を含む SSH_FXP_STATUS で応答すると、応答データバッファが解放されます。その後、sftp_packet_require() の呼び出しが LIBSSH2_ERROR_CHANNEL_PACKET_EXCEEDED などの特定のエラーを返すと、同じポインタが再度解放されます。これにより、glibc システム上で tcache の二重解放(dup)条件が発生し、重複するアロケーションや関数ポインタの上書きを許してしまう状態になります。

Official advisory ↗
03

Patch and workaround

Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.

Status
?Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change.
Patch available
Affected
Fixed
Action
For details on how to apply this update, which includes the changes described in this advisory, refer to: https://access.redhat.com/articles/11258
Workaround
No verified workaround is recorded. If business-safe, reduce exposure to the affected interface and allow only trusted sources until authoritative guidance is available.
04

Evidence and provenance

Published 24 Jul 2026 · Last source change 28 Jul 2026, 01:06 UTC · CWE-415 · Double Free

CVE recordCVE.org · 5.2
CVSS sourceCNA
EPSS source
?The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.
FIRST · tracked since 2026-08-14
European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2026-48719
Product sourceVendor CSAF · Red Hat Product Security
Remediation sourceVendor CSAF · Red Hat Product Security
CWE sourceCNA
NVD statusNVD enriched

Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.

Material change intelligence

What changed after publication

View recent updates ↗

No material field changes have been recorded since change tracking began. Routine source refreshes and cosmetic edits are intentionally excluded.

Material fields only · duplicate refreshes suppressed · history retained for the configured operational retention period
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
CVE
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
CVSS
Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
EPSS
Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
CWE
Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
CNA
CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
CISA ADP
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
NVD
National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
CERT / CSIRT
A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
PoC
Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
CSAF
Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
LoTL
Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.
Free version - for non-commercial use only.CVE-2026-66032 · cve.blacktree.nl