How severe is CVE-2017-2659?

CVE-2017-2659 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2017-2659 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (71st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-2659?

CVE-2017-2659 affects Dropbear Ssh Project Dropbear Ssh. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-2659?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2017-2659 published?

CVE-2017-2659 was published on 2019-03-21 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-2659

CVE-2017-2659 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Dropbear Ssh Project Dropbear Ssh with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-287.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.3)
CVSS v2: 5.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (71st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-287
Affected product: Dropbear Ssh Project Dropbear Ssh
Published: 2019-03-21
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

It was found that dropbear before version 2013.59 with GSSAPI leaks whether given username is valid or invalid. When an invalid username is given, the GSSAPI authentication failure was incorrectly counted towards the maximum allowed number of password attempts.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-2659?: It was found that dropbear before version 2013.59 with GSSAPI leaks whether given username is valid or invalid. When an invalid username is given, the GSSAPI authentication failure was incorrectly counted towards the maximum allowed number of password attempts.
How severe is CVE-2017-2659?: CVE-2017-2659 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2017-2659 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (71st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-2659?: CVE-2017-2659 affects Dropbear Ssh Project Dropbear Ssh. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-2659?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2017-2659 published?: CVE-2017-2659 was published on 2019-03-21 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:dropbear_ssh_project:dropbear_ssh:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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Other CWE-287 (Improper Authentication) vulnerabilities

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