CVE-2017-9078
The server in Dropbear before 2017.75 might allow post-authentication root remote code execution...
The server in Dropbear before 2017.75 might allow post-authentication root remote code execution because of a double free in cleanup of TCP listeners when the -a option is enabled.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- 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
NVD Score used
The server in Dropbear before 2017.75 might allow post-authentication root remote code execution because of a double free in cleanup of TCP listeners when the -a option is enabled.
- Record
CVE-2017-9078- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 8.5 High
AV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C - Weakness
- CWE-415
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
The server in Dropbear before 2017.75 might allow post-authentication root remote code execution because of a double free in cleanup of TCP listeners when the -a option is enabled.
- Record
CVE-2017-9078- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2017-18017 No score
The server in Dropbear before 2017.75 might allow post-authentication root remote code execution because of a double free in cleanup of TCP listeners when the -a option is enabled.
- Record
EUVD-2017-18017- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-p8gj-w7rh-3g6f
The server in Dropbear before 2017.75 might allow post-authentication root remote code execution...
The server in Dropbear before 2017.75 might allow post-authentication root remote code execution because of a double free in cleanup of TCP listeners when the -a option is enabled.
- Record
GHSA-p8gj-w7rh-3g6f- CVSS 3.0
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-415
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVALPINE-CVE-2017-9078
The server in Dropbear before 2017.75 might allow post-authentication root remote code execution because of a double free in cleanup of TCP listeners when the -a option is enabled.
- Record
ALPINE-CVE-2017-9078- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
The server in Dropbear before 2017.75 might allow post-authentication root remote code execution because of a double free in cleanup of TCP listeners when the -a option is enabled.
- Record
CVE-2017-9078- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2017-9078
The server in Dropbear before 2017.75 might allow post-authentication root remote code execution because of a double free in cleanup of TCP listeners when the -a option is enabled.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2017-9078- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2017-9078
The server in Dropbear before 2017.75 might allow post-authentication root remote code execution because of a double free in cleanup of TCP listeners when the -a option is enabled.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2017-9078- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVMGASA-2017-0165 No score
Updated dropbear packages fix security vulnerability
A double-free in the server could be triggered by an authenticated user if dropbear is running with -a (CVE-2017-9078). The default Mageia configuration does not set -a, so is not vulnerable
Dropbear parsed authorized_keys as root, even if it were a symlink. The fix is to switch to user permissions when opening authorized_keys (CVE-2017-9079)
- Record
MGASA-2017-0165- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
dropbearAlpine:v3.4 |
before 2017.75-r0 | 2017.75-r0 |
dropbearAlpine:v3.5 |
before 2017.75-r0 | 2017.75-r0 |
dropbearDebian:12 |
before 2016.74-5 | 2016.74-5 |
dropbearDebian:13 |
before 2016.74-5 | 2016.74-5 |
dropbearDebian:14 |
before 2016.74-5 | 2016.74-5 |
dropbearDebian:8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 2014.65-1+deb8u2, plus listed versions 2014.65-12014.65-1+deb8u1 |
2014.65-1+deb8u2 |
dropbearMageia:5 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 2014.66-1.3.mga5 | 2014.66-1.3.mga5 |
dropbearUbuntu:16.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 2014.65-1ubuntu22015.68-12015.70-12015.71-12016.72-1 |
None known |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected, facts | ||
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2017-9078 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.8) in Debian Linux, published May 19, 2017. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 5.47%, the 92nd percentile. Fixed in dropbear 2017.75-r0.