Openssh: double free in red hat enterprise linux versions of openssh dh-gex client path during fips known-group validation leads to client-side denial of service
Summary
| CVE | CVE-2026-55653 |
|---|---|
| State | PUBLISHED |
| Assigner | redhat |
| Source Priority | CVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback |
| Published | 2026-06-23 04:17:36 UTC |
| Updated | 2026-06-23 15:17:24 UTC |
| Description | A flaw was found in OpenSSH. A malicious SSH server can exploit a double free vulnerability in the Diffie-Hellman Group Exchange (DH-GEX) client path. This occurs during FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) mode known-group validation when the client processes attacker-controlled DH-GEX group parameters. Successful exploitation leads to client-side process termination, resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS). |
Risk And Classification
Primary CVSS: v3.1 4.3 MEDIUM from [email protected]
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
EPSS: 0.002010000 probability, percentile 0.099580000 (date 2026-06-23)
Problem Types: CWE-415 | CWE-415 Double Free
| Version | Source | Type | Score | Severity | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | [email protected] | Secondary | 4.3 | MEDIUM | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L |
| 3.1 | CNA | CVSS | 4.3 | MEDIUM | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L |
CVSS v3.1 Breakdown
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Vendor Declared Affected Products
| Source | Vendor | Product | Version | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Not specified | Not specified |
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Not specified | Not specified |
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Not specified | Not specified |
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Not specified | Not specified |
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Not specified | Not specified |
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat Hardened Images | Not specified | Not specified |
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Not specified | Not specified |
References
| Reference | Source | Link | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-55653 | [email protected] | access.redhat.com | |
| bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi | [email protected] | bugzilla.redhat.com | |
| CVE Program record | CVE.ORG | www.cve.org | canonical |
| NVD vulnerability detail | NVD | nvd.nist.gov | canonical, analysis |
Additional Advisory Data
| Source | Time | Event |
|---|---|---|
| CNA | 2026-04-26T18:54:39.000Z | Reported to Red Hat. |
| CNA | 2026-06-22T23:17:43.088Z | Made public. |
Workarounds
CNA: To mitigate this issue, OpenSSH clients operating in FIPS mode should avoid negotiating the `diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256` key exchange algorithm. This can be achieved by explicitly listing allowed key exchange algorithms in the client's SSH configuration file (e.g., `/etc/ssh/ssh_config` or `~/.ssh/config`), ensuring `diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256` is *not* included. For example, to use a subset of common algorithms, you might configure: ``` KexAlgorithms [email protected],ecdh-sha2-nistp256,ecdh-sha2-nistp384,ecdh-sha2-nistp521,diffie-hellman-group14-sha1 ``` (Note: The above example `KexAlgorithms` list is illustrative and should be adjusted based on your environment's security requirements.) Additionally, avoid using non-fatal client flows, such as `ssh-keyscan`, against untrusted SSH servers while FIPS mode is enabled. Changes to `ssh_config` will take effect for new SSH connections.