CVE-2016-6210: vulnerability
Advisory generated from the CVE record, CISA, Exploit Observer and VEDAS: what it is, whether it is exploited, who is affected, and how to fix and detect it.
Generated by VEDAS. Scores as of 2026-11-08 00:03 UTC. Rebuilt every few hours from cve-scores, CISA KEV and vedas-signatures. How this works and its limits.
What it is
sshd in OpenSSH before 7.3, when SHA256 or SHA512 are used for user password hashing, uses BLOWFISH hashing on a static password when the username does not exist, which allows remote attackers to enumerate users by leveraging the timing difference between responses when a large password is provided.
Description quoted from the CVE record (assigned by mitre, published 2017-02-13).
Weakness: CWE-200 Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor
How it can be exploited
Exploitable over the network with high attack complexity needing no privileges and no user interaction. Impact: confidentiality high, integrity none, availability none. CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
CISA assessment (SSVC): CISA assesses that a public proof of concept exists. Automatable: no. Technical impact: partial.
Public exploit evidence (Exploit Observer)
Exploit Observer found 2 Exploit-DB entries, 6 code repositories and 3 research write-ups naming this CVE.
Code repositories that name a CVE are often scanners, copies or fakes, and some are malware. Read the code before running anything.
See all 22 references on Exploit Observer
Live scores
- EPSS
- 0.889
very likely to be attacked soon - VEDAS
- 0.988
strong exploit evidence - On CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Detection rule
- No public rule yet
Who is affected
| Product | Affected | Not affected |
|---|---|---|
| Not stated | versions not stated in the record | Not stated |
Version ranges exactly as the CVE record states them. “Before X” means X is the first fixed version.
How to fix it
Vendor guidance:
- RHSA-2017:2563 (vendor-advisory)
- DSA-3626 (vendor-advisory)
- GLSA-201612-18 (vendor-advisory)
- RHSA-2017:2029 (vendor-advisory)
How to detect it
There is no open VEDAS detection rule for this bug yet. It is listed on the detection gaps page if CISA has confirmed attacks.
Advisories on this CVE
- OpenSSH password bypass on Alpine and musl without PAM: locked accounts accept long passwords (full advisory)
References
Vendor advisories and patches
- RHSA-2017:2563 (vendor-advisory)
- DSA-3626 (vendor-advisory)
- GLSA-201612-18 (vendor-advisory)
- RHSA-2017:2029 (vendor-advisory)
Exploit code
Other references
- 1036319 (vdb-entry)
- 20160714 opensshd - user enumeration (mailing-list)
- https://www.openssh.com/txt/release-7.3
- 91812 (vdb-entry)
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20190206-0001/
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-412672.pdf
Other databases
Where this comes from
This advisory is generated automatically by VEDAS from: CVE.org record, cve-scores (EPSS and VEDAS), Exploit Observer. Text in quotes is reproduced from the source; everything else is a fixed template filled with source fields. Nothing here is written by a language model. Check the vendor advisory before acting, and read how VEDAS and Exploit Observer work, and their limits.
Supporting partners
