How severe is CVE-2023-38408?

CVE-2023-38408 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2023-38408 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 77% (99th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2023-38408?

CVE-2023-38408 primarily affects Openbsd Openssh. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2023-38408?

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

When was CVE-2023-38408 published?

CVE-2023-38408 was published on 2023-07-20 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2023-38408

CVE-2023-38408 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Openbsd Openssh with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 77% places it in the 99th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-428.

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.8)
EPSS exploit prediction: 77% (99th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-428
Affected product: Openbsd Openssh
Published: 2023-07-20
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The PKCS#11 feature in ssh-agent in OpenSSH before 9.3p2 has an insufficiently trustworthy search path, leading to remote code execution if an agent is forwarded to an attacker-controlled system. (Code in /usr/lib is not necessarily safe for loading into ssh-agent.) NOTE: this issue exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2016-10009.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-38408?: The PKCS#11 feature in ssh-agent in OpenSSH before 9.3p2 has an insufficiently trustworthy search path, leading to remote code execution if an agent is forwarded to an attacker-controlled system. (Code in /usr/lib is not necessarily safe for loading into ssh-agent.) NOTE: this issue exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2016-10009.
How severe is CVE-2023-38408?: CVE-2023-38408 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2023-38408 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 77% (99th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-38408?: CVE-2023-38408 primarily affects Openbsd Openssh. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-38408?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2023-38408 published?: CVE-2023-38408 was published on 2023-07-20 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (5)

cpe:2.3:a:openbsd:openssh:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:openbsd:openssh:9.3:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:openbsd:openssh:9.3:p1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:37:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:38:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Openbsd Openssh

CVE-2003-0786 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): The SSH1 PAM challenge response authentication in OpenSSH 3.7.1 and 3.7.1p1, when Privilege Separation is disabled,…
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All CVEs affecting Openbsd Openssh →

Other CWE-428 vulnerabilities

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CVE-2020-9292 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): An unquoted service path vulnerability in the FortiSIEM Windows Agent component may allow an attacker to gain elevated…
CVE-2019-17658 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): An unquoted service path vulnerability in the FortiClient FortiTray component of FortiClientWindows v6.2.2 and prior…
CVE-2019-8459 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Check Point Endpoint Security Client for Windows, with the VPN blade, before version E80.83, starts a process without…
CVE-2025-8070 — Critical (CVSS 9.2): The Windows service configuration of ABP and AES contains an unquoted ImagePath registry value vulnerability. This…

Browse all CWE-428 vulnerabilities →

Threat intelligence

Threat-intel indicators referencing this CVE:

152.32.208.73 (ipv4-addr)
152.32.217.163 (ipv4-addr)
152.32.204.21 (ipv4-addr)
152.32.145.49 (ipv4-addr)
104.218.164.192 (ipv4-addr)
165.154.162.193 (ipv4-addr)
165.154.11.210 (ipv4-addr)
152.32.207.42 (ipv4-addr)