CVE-2026-3497: Medium severity Canonical Ubuntu Linux vulnerability

Published Mar 12, 2026
·
Updated

Last updated 30 June 2026

Other sources

Vulnerability in the OpenSSH GSSAPI delta included in various Linux distributions. This vulnerability affects the GSSAPI patches added by various Linux distributions and does not affect the OpenSSH upstream project itself. The usage of sshpktdisconnect() on an error, which does not terminate the process, allows an attacker to send an unexpected GSSAPI message type during the GSSAPI key exchange to the server, which will call the underlying function and continue the execution of the program without setting the related connection variables. As the variables are not initialized to NULL the code later accesses those uninitialized variables, accessing random memory, which could lead to undefined behavior. The recommended workaround is to use sshpacketdisconnect() instead, which does terminate the process. The impact of the vulnerability depends heavily on the compiler flag hardening configuration.

Launchpad

Affected Software

10 affected componentsFixes available
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=25.10
OpenBSD OpenSSH
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=20.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=22.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=24.04
Debian Debian Linux=11.0
redhat Enterprise Linux=8.0
redhat Enterprise Linux=9.0
redhat Enterprise Linux=10.0
debian/openssh<=1:8.4p1-5+deb11u3
1:8.4p1-5+deb11u71:9.2p1-2+deb12u101:9.2p1-2+deb12u91:10.0p1-7+deb13u41:10.0p1-7+deb13u21:10.4p1-21:10.4p1-3

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade debian/openssh to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 1:8.4p1-5+deb11u7Fixed in 1:9.2p1-2+deb12u10Fixed in 1:9.2p1-2+deb12u9Fixed in 1:10.0p1-7+deb13u4Fixed in 1:10.0p1-7+deb13u2Fixed in 1:10.4p1-2Fixed in 1:10.4p1-3

Event History

Mar 12, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·06:27 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·06:27 PM
DescriptionWeakness
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·07:02 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via NVD·07:16 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Mar 13, 2026
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·06:35 PM
Description
Jul 1, 2026
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·03:20 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Jul 29, 2026
Data Sourced
via Debian·03:43 AM
DescriptionAffected Software
Free Weekly Intel

Don't miss critical vulnerabilities

Join thousands of security professionals who receive our weekly digest of trending CVEs, zero-days, and exploited vulnerabilities.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-3497?

CVE-2026-3497 is classified as a moderate severity vulnerability affecting specific Linux distributions' GSSAPI implementation.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-3497?

To fix CVE-2026-3497, patch your affected Linux distribution with the latest security updates provided by your vendor.

3

Which Linux distributions are affected by CVE-2026-3497?

CVE-2026-3497 affects various Linux distributions that have applied the specific GSSAPI patches.

4

What is the impact of CVE-2026-3497?

The impact of CVE-2026-3497 could lead to unauthorized access or denial of service through improper error handling in the GSSAPI implementation.

5

Is CVE-2026-3497 present in the OpenSSH upstream project?

No, CVE-2026-3497 does not affect the OpenSSH upstream project, as it pertains specifically to GSSAPI patches in Linux distributions.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203