CVE-2026-54886Network attack vector

Authenticated SFTP channel hang via extended data loop

Published Jul 2, 2026 · Updated Jul 2, 2026

An infinite loop in Erlang/OTP ssh_sftpd allows remote authenticated users to hang SFTP channels via extended channel data. The handle_data/4 catch-all clause tail-calls itself with unchanged arguments when a nonzero data type arrives with an empty pending buffer and a payload no larger than the packet limit. An authenticated SFTP session is required; each trapped process consumes CPU and accumulates queued messages, while file contents and credentials remain inaccessible.

CVSS severity5.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.33%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

An infinite loop in Erlang/OTP ssh_sftpd allows remote authenticated users to hang SFTP channels via extended channel data. The handle_data/4 catch-all clause tail-calls itself with unchanged arguments when a nonzero data type arrives with an empty pending buffer and a payload no larger than the packet limit. An authenticated SFTP session is required; each trapped process consumes CPU and accumulates queued messages, while file contents and credentials remain inaccessible.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-54886
Published
Jul 2, 2026
Updated
Jul 2, 2026
Vendor
Erlang
Product
Erlang/OTP
Classifications
CWE-400, CWE-835, CAPEC-130, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 2, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jul 2, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=17.0 <* changes=[{"at":"29.0.3","status":"unaffected"},{"at":"28.5.0.3","status":"unaffected"},{"at":"27.3.4.14","status":"unaffected"}]
  2. Affected versionversion=3.0.1 <* changes=[{"at":"6.0.2","status":"unaffected"},{"at":"5.5.2.2","status":"unaffected"},{"at":"5.2.11.9","status":"unaffected"}]
  3. Affected versionversion=84adefa3318eef8631bf25cd233246a86eea18cd <eaf9550b8ad4738b81149d3f617102d980c6dd18

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Erlang · Erlang/OTPversion=17.0 <* changes=[{"at":"29.0.3","status":"unaffected"},{"at":"28.5.0.3","status":"unaffected"},{"at":"27.3.4.14","status":"unaffected"}]; version=3.0.1 <* changes=[{"at":"6.0.2","status":"unaffected"},{"at":"5.5.2.2","status":"unaffected"},{"at":"5.2.11.9","status":"unaffected"}]; version=84adefa3318eef8631bf25cd233246a86eea18cd <eaf9550b8ad4738b81149d3f617102d980c6dd18

Published CVSS scores

4.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
5.3Erlang Ecosystem FoundationCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA: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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-400Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
CWE-835Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop')
CAPEC-130Excessive Allocation
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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