CVE-2025-14282Public exploitNetwork attack vectorHinoki check available

Authenticated root command execution via Unix socket forwarding

Published Feb 12, 2026 · Updated Feb 12, 2026

Privilege escalation in Dropbear SSH 2024.84 through 2025.88 allows remote authenticated users to execute programs as root via socket forwarding. After authentication, the multi-user server retains root credentials while opening a requested Unix-domain socket, bypassing filesystem access controls and peer-credential checks. SSH access and enabled local stream forwarding are required; a root-trusting socket service can turn the forwarded connection into arbitrary root command execution.

CVSS severity5.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.37%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkAvailable
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in Dropbear SSH 2024.84 through 2025.88 allows remote authenticated users to execute programs as root via socket forwarding. After authentication, the multi-user server retains root credentials while opening a requested Unix-domain socket, bypassing filesystem access controls and peer-credential checks. SSH access and enabled local stream forwarding are required; a root-trusting socket service can turn the forwarded connection into arbitrary root command execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-14282
Published
Feb 12, 2026
Updated
Feb 12, 2026
Vendor
Dropbear SSH Project
Product
Dropbear SSH
Classifications
CWE-266, T1068
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 12, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 12, 2026Record 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=2024.84 <=2025.88

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Dropbear SSH Project · Dropbear SSHversion=2024.84 <=2025.88

Published CVSS scores

5.4Fedora ProjectCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-266Incorrect Privilege Assignment
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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