Description
Multiple CRLF injection vulnerabilities in session.c in sshd in OpenSSH before 7.2p2 allow remote authenticated users to bypass intended shell-command restrictions via crafted X11 forwarding data, related to the (1) do_authenticated1 and (2) session_x11_req functions.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | openssh | 1:7.2p2-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | openssh | 1:7.2p2-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | openssh | 1:7.2p2-1 | — |
| Debian 8 | openssh | 1:6.7p1-5+deb8u6 | DLA-1500-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | openssh | 1:6.6p1-2ubuntu2.7 | USN-2966-1 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 7 | openssh +6 | 6.6.1p1-25.el7_2 | RHSA-2016:0465 |
| RHEL 7 | pam_ssh_agent_auth | 0.9.3-9.25.el7_2 | RHSA-2016:0465 |
| RHEL 6 | openssh +4 | 5.3p1-114.el6_7 | RHSA-2016:0466 |
| RHEL 6 | pam_ssh_agent_auth | 0.9.3-114.el6_7 | RHSA-2016:0466 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 12 SP1 | openssh +1 | 6.6p1-42.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1386-1 |
| SLES 12 | openssh +1 | 6.6p1-42.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1386-1 |
| SLES 11 SP4 | openssh | 6.6p1-21.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1528-1 |
| SLES 11 SP4 | openssh-askpass-gnome | 6.6p1-21.3 | SUSE-SU-2016:1528-1 |
| SLES 11 SP3 | openssh | 6.2p2-0.33.2 | SUSE-SU-2016:2388-1 |
| SLES 11 SP3 | openssh-askpass-gnome | 6.2p2-0.33.5 | SUSE-SU-2016:2388-1 |
| SLES 11 | openssh-openssl1 | 6.6p1-15.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2555-1 |
Show 7 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 12 SP1 | openssh +1 | 6.6p1-42.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1386-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 | openssh +1 | 6.6p1-42.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1386-1 |
| SLES for SAP 11 SP4 | openssh | 6.6p1-21.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1528-1 |
| SLES for SAP 11 SP4 | openssh-askpass-gnome | 6.6p1-21.3 | SUSE-SU-2016:1528-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 5 | openssh | 6.2p2-0.33.2 | SUSE-SU-2016:2388-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 5 | openssh-askpass-gnome | 6.2p2-0.33.5 | SUSE-SU-2016:2388-1 |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 2.1 | openssh | 6.2p2-0.33.2 | SUSE-SU-2016:2388-1 |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 2.1 | openssh-askpass-gnome | 6.2p2-0.33.5 | SUSE-SU-2016:2388-1 |
| SUSE Manager 2.1 | openssh | 6.2p2-0.33.2 | SUSE-SU-2016:2388-1 |
| SUSE Manager 2.1 | openssh-askpass-gnome | 6.2p2-0.33.5 | SUSE-SU-2016:2388-1 |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11 SP3 | openssh | 6.2p2-0.33.2 | SUSE-SU-2016:2388-1 |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11 SP3 | openssh-askpass-gnome | 6.2p2-0.33.5 | SUSE-SU-2016:2388-1 |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 7 | openssh +6 | 6.6.1p1-25.el7_2 | ELSA-2016-0465 |
| Oracle Linux 7 | pam_ssh_agent_auth | 0.9.3-9.25.el7_2 | ELSA-2016-0465 |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Third-party code, not reviewed by us. Public PoCs are sometimes fake or contain malware. Read the code first and run it only in an isolated lab, against systems you are authorised to test.
Exploit-DB 1
- OpenSSH 7.2p1 - (Authenticated) xauth Command Injection EDB-39569 · remote · Mar 16, 2016
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 9
- RHSA-2016:0465 Red Hat Security Advisory: openssh security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- RHSA-2016:0466 Red Hat Security Advisory: openssh security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- USN-2966-1 openssh vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Jun 1, 2026
- DLA-1500-1 openssh - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:1528-1 Security update for openssh SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:2555-1 Security update for openssh-openssl1 SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:2388-1 Security update for openssh SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:1386-1 Security update for openssh SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- ELSA-2016-0465 Moderate: openssh security update (Oracle Linux 7) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Mar 21, 2016
References
- http://www.openssh.com/txt/x11fwd.adv
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/ovmbulletinjul2016-3090546.html
- https://github.com/tintinweb/pub/tree/master/pocs/cve-2016-3115
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/136234/OpenSSH-7.2p1-xauth-Command-Injection-Bypass.html
- FreeBSD-SA-16:14 vendor-advisory
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinapr2016-2952096.html
- 39569 exploit
- RHSA-2016:0466 vendor-advisory
- http://cvsweb.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb/src/usr.bin/ssh/session.c
- 1035249 vdb-entry
- FEDORA-2016-fc1cc33e05 vendor-advisory
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/bulletinapr2016-2952098.html
- http://cvsweb.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb/src/usr.bin/ssh/session.c.diff?r1=1.281&r2=1.282&f=h
- FEDORA-2016-d339d610c1 vendor-advisory
- https://bto.bluecoat.com/security-advisory/sa121
- GLSA-201612-18 vendor-advisory
- 84314 vdb-entry
- FEDORA-2016-0bcab055a7 vendor-advisory
- [debian-lts-announce] 20180910 [SECURITY] [DLA 1500-1] openssh security update mailing-list
- FEDORA-2016-08e5803496 vendor-advisory
- 20160314 CVE-2016-3116 - Dropbear SSH xauth injection mailing-list
- RHSA-2016:0465 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2016-188267b485 vendor-advisory
- 20160314 CVE-2016-3115 - OpenSSH <=7.2p1 xauth injection mailing-list
- FEDORA-2016-bb59db3c86 vendor-advisory