SSH passphrase disclosure via untrusted PKCS11 library
Published Jan 10, 2024 · Updated Jun 16, 2025
Information disclosure in OpenSSH on Apple macOS before Big Sur 11.7.9, Monterey 12.6.8, or Ventura 13.5 allows local users to read SSH passphrases. The ssh client disables library validation before loading a user-supplied PKCS#11 library, so its constructor executes with access to the com.apple.ssh.passphrases Keychain group. Exploitation requires a user to invoke ssh with the attacker-controlled library; disclosure is limited to SSH passphrases stored in that user's Login Keychain.
Summary
What happened
Information disclosure in OpenSSH on Apple macOS before Big Sur 11.7.9, Monterey 12.6.8, or Ventura 13.5 allows local users to read SSH passphrases. The ssh client disables library validation before loading a user-supplied PKCS#11 library, so its constructor executes with access to the com.apple.ssh.passphrases Keychain group. Exploitation requires a user to invoke ssh with the attacker-controlled library; disclosure is limited to SSH passphrases stored in that user's Login Keychain.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-42829
- Published
- Jan 10, 2024
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2025
- Vendor
- Apple
- Product
- macOS
- Classifications
- CWE-200, T1555.001
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 10, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jun 16, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <11.7
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <12.6
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <13.5
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- PKCS#11 dynamic-library proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
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