How severe is CVE-2017-9078?

CVE-2017-9078 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-9078 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 5% (91st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-9078?

CVE-2017-9078 primarily affects Dropbear Ssh Project Dropbear Ssh. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-9078?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2017-9078 published?

CVE-2017-9078 was published on 2017-05-19 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-9078

CVE-2017-9078 is a high-severity vulnerability in Dropbear Ssh Project Dropbear Ssh with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8. 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-415.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.8)
CVSS v2: 8.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 5% (91st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-415
Affected product: Dropbear Ssh Project Dropbear Ssh
Published: 2017-05-19
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The server in Dropbear before 2017.75 might allow post-authentication root remote code execution because of a double free in cleanup of TCP listeners when the -a option is enabled.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-9078?: The server in Dropbear before 2017.75 might allow post-authentication root remote code execution because of a double free in cleanup of TCP listeners when the -a option is enabled.
How severe is CVE-2017-9078?: CVE-2017-9078 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-9078 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 5% (91st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-9078?: CVE-2017-9078 primarily affects Dropbear Ssh Project Dropbear Ssh. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-9078?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2017-9078 published?: CVE-2017-9078 was published on 2017-05-19 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (3)

cpe:2.3:a:dropbear_ssh_project:dropbear_ssh:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:netapp:h410c_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Dropbear Ssh Project Dropbear Ssh

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Other CWE-415 (Double Free) vulnerabilities

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CVE-2026-8925 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): The curl logic that works with SASL authentication could end up cleaning up the GSASL context *twice* without clearing…
CVE-2020-37239 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): libbabl 0.1.62 contains a broken double free detection vulnerability that allows attackers to bypass memory safety…
CVE-2026-43011 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/x25: Fix potential double free of skb When…
CVE-2026-31609 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: smb: client: avoid double-free in…
CVE-2026-31608 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: smb: server: avoid double-free in…

Browse all CWE-415 (Double Free) vulnerabilities →