CVE-2025-14821
Libssh: libssh: insecure default configuration leads to local man-in-the-middle attacks on windows
A flaw was found in libssh. This vulnerability allows local man-in-the-middle attacks, security downgrades of SSH (Secure Shell) connections, and manipulation of trusted host information, posing a significant risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of SSH communications via an insecure default configuration on Windows systems where the library automatically loads configuration files from the C:\etc directory, which can be created and modified by unprivileged local users.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
7.8
Libssh: libssh: insecure default configuration leads to local man-in-the-middle attacks on windows
A flaw was found in libssh. This vulnerability allows local man-in-the-middle attacks, security downgrades of SSH (Secure Shell) connections, and manipulation of trusted host information, posing a significant risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of SSH communications via an insecure default configuration on Windows systems where the library automatically loads configuration files from the C:\etc directory, which can be created and modified by unprivileged local users.
- Record
CVE-2025-14821- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-427
- Updated
- 2026-11-06
EUVDEUVD-2025-209270
7.8
A flaw was found in libssh. This vulnerability allows local man-in-the-middle attacks, security downgrades of SSH (Secure Shell) connections, and manipulation of trusted host information, posing a significant risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of SSH communications via an insecure default configuration on Windows systems where the library automatically loads configuration files from the C:\etc directory, which can be created and modified by unprivileged local users.
- Record
EUVD-2025-209270- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-06
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-5jf9-8f86-jhvw
7.8
A flaw was found in libssh. This vulnerability allows local man-in-the-middle attacks, security...
A flaw was found in libssh. This vulnerability allows local man-in-the-middle attacks, security downgrades of SSH (Secure Shell) connections, and manipulation of trusted host information, posing a significant risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of SSH communications via an insecure default configuration on Windows systems where the library automatically loads configuration files from the C:\etc directory, which can be created and modified by unprivileged local users.
- Record
GHSA-5jf9-8f86-jhvw- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-427
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
7.8
A flaw was found in libssh. This vulnerability allows local man-in-the-middle attacks, security downgrades of SSH (Secure Shell) connections, and manipulation of trusted host information, posing a significant risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of SSH communications via an insecure default configuration on Windows systems where the library automatically loads configuration files from the C:\etc directory, which can be created and modified by unprivileged local users.
- Record
CVE-2025-14821- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.1
- 7.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-427
- Updated
- 2026-11-06
OSVBELL-CVE-2025-14821
7.0
CVE-2025-14821 does not affect BellSoft software
- Record
BELL-CVE-2025-14821- CVSS 3.1
- 7.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
7.8
Libssh: libssh: insecure default configuration leads to local man-in-the-middle attacks on windows
A flaw was found in libssh. This vulnerability allows local man-in-the-middle attacks, security downgrades of SSH (Secure Shell) connections, and manipulation of trusted host information, posing a significant risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of SSH communications via an insecure default configuration on Windows systems where the library automatically loads configuration files from the C:\etc directory, which can be created and modified by unprivileged local users.
- Record
CVE-2025-14821- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-427
- Updated
- 2026-11-07
OSVJLSEC-2026-778
7.0
A flaw was found in libssh. This vulnerability allows local man-in-the-middle attacks, security downgrades of SSH (Secure Shell) connections, and manipulation of trusted host information, posing a significant risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of SSH communications via an insecure default configuration on Windows systems where the library automatically loads configuration files from the C:\etc directory, which can be created and modified by unprivileged local users.
- Record
JLSEC-2026-778- CVSS 3.1
- 7.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVRHSA-2026:7067
7.8
Red Hat Security Advisory: Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs bug fix and enhancement update
- Record
RHSA-2026:7067- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
libssh_jllJulia |
before 0.12.1+0 | 0.12.1+0 |
libsshRed Hat:hummingbird:1 From an advisory covering 3 CVEs |
before 0:0.12.0-1.1.hum1 | 0:0.12.0-1.1.hum1 |
libssh-configRed Hat:hummingbird:1 From an advisory covering 3 CVEs |
before 0:0.12.0-1.1.hum1 | 0:0.12.0-1.1.hum1 |
libssh-develRed Hat:hummingbird:1 From an advisory covering 3 CVEs |
before 0:0.12.0-1.1.hum1 | 0:0.12.0-1.1.hum1 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected, facts | ||
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2025-14821 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.8) in Libssh, published March 13, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.14%, the 2nd percentile. Fixed in libssh_jll 0.12.1+0.
References
access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:7067
access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-14821
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2423148
libssh.org/2026/02/10/libssh-0-12-0-and-0-11-4-security-releases
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-14821
github.com/advisories/GHSA-5jf9-8f86-jhvw
Show 22 moreShow less
docs.bell-sw.com/security/cves/CVE-2025-14821
access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser
catalog.redhat.com/software/containers
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2025/14xxx/CVE-2025-14821.json
images.redhat.com
access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-3731
access.redhat.com/security/updates/classification
access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-0966
security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/advisories/2026/rhsa-2026_7067.json
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-14821
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2433121
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-0966
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-0966
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2445579
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-3731
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-3731
gitlab.com/libssh/libssh-mirror/-/commit/855a0853ad3abd4a6cd85ce06fce6d8d4c7a0b60
vuldb.com?ctiid.349709
vuldb.com?id.349709
vuldb.com?submit.767120
libssh.org/files/0.12/libssh-0.12.0.tar.xz
libssh.org/security/advisories/libssh-2026-sftp-extensions.txt