Pre-auth CPU exhaustion via unchecked DH message direction
Published Oct 7, 2026 · Updated Oct 7, 2026
Key-exchange role confusion in wolfSSL wolfSSH 1.2.0 through 1.5.0 allows remote attackers to drive a server into client-side DH processing. IsMessageAllowedServer() admits the server-only SSH_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_GROUP message, causing DoKexDhGexGroup() to process an attacker-selected group. An unauthenticated client must negotiate DH group exchange; version 1.5.0 then spends substantial CPU testing the group, while earlier affected releases exhibit role confusion without that primality cost.
Summary
What happened
Key-exchange role confusion in wolfSSL wolfSSH 1.2.0 through 1.5.0 allows remote attackers to drive a server into client-side DH processing. IsMessageAllowedServer() admits the server-only SSH_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_GROUP message, causing DoKexDhGexGroup() to process an attacker-selected group. An unauthenticated client must negotiate DH group exchange; version 1.5.0 then spends substantial CPU testing the group, while earlier affected releases exhibit role confusion without that primality cost.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-84897
- Published
- Oct 7, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 7, 2026
- Vendor
- wolfSSL
- Product
- wolfSSH
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 7, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 7, 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.
- Affected versionversion=1.2.0 <=1.5.0 changes=[{"at":"1.6.0","status":"unaffected"}]
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
No CVSS assessment is available in this record.
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.
Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.
Weakness, pattern, technique
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
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Get started to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Get started