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.

Not analysed yet

We haven’t published our own analysis of this CVE. If a person reviews it, this page will say what’s affected and what has to be true for it to matter.

Severity and exploitation

• CISA KEV Not listed.
• EPSS 0.80, the 99th percentile, on 8 Nov 2026: FIRST’s estimate of the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Timeline

This record came from the full history of the CVE Program, published 20 Jul 2023. New records show when each source confirmed them.

Sources

• CVE List: CVE-2023-38408
• NVD: CVE-2023-38408

References from the CNA

• news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36790196
• blog.qualys.com/vulnerabilities-threat-research/2023/07/19/cve-2023-38408-remote-code-execution-in-opensshs-forwarded-ssh-agent
• www.qualys.com/2023/07/19/cve-2023-38408/rce-openssh-forwarded-ssh-agent.txt
• github.com/openbsd/src/commit/f8f5a6b003981bb824329dc987d101977beda7ca
• github.com/openbsd/src/commit/7bc29a9d5cd697290aa056e94ecee6253d3425f8
• github.com/openbsd/src/commit/f03a4faa55c4ce0818324701dadbf91988d7351d
• www.openssh.com/txt/release-9.3p2
• www.openssh.com/security.html
• security.gentoo.org/glsa/202307-01 vendor-advisory
• www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/07/20/1 mailing-list
• www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/07/20/2 mailing-list
• packetstormsecurity.com/files/173661/OpenSSH-Forwarded-SSH-Agent-Remote-Code-Execution.html
• lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/RAXVQS6ZYTULFAK3TEJHRLKZALJS3AOU/ vendor-advisory
• lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/CEBTJJINE2I3FHAUKKNQWMFGYMLSMWKQ/ vendor-advisory
• security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230803-0010/
• lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/08/msg00021.html mailing-list
• www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/09/22/9 mailing-list
• www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/09/22/11 mailing-list
• support.apple.com/kb/HT213940
• www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/exploring-opensshs-agent-forwarding-rce-cve-2023-38408

Facts on this page come from the CVE List as the CNA published them, with CVSS from the sources named above, CISA KEV and FIRST EPSS. Vendors, products and versions are shown as the CNA wrote them. We don’t reproduce the CVE’s description.