Analyst readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This older OpenSSH issue could let a remote party tell whether specific usernames exist on some systems. That does not give direct access, but it can make password guessing, phishing, and follow-on attacks more targeted. Exposure is mainly legacy systems running portable OpenSSH before 4.4.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for legacy, reachable SSH servers. This is not evidenced as actively exploited in the provided sources, but username disclosure can materially improve attacker targeting against remote access infrastructure.
Technical view
CVE-2006-5052 affects portable OpenSSH before 4.4 on some platforms. The reported behavior involves a GSSAPI authentication abort that can disclose username validity through unspecified vectors. The source bundle does not provide CVSS, CWE, affected CPEs, or detailed exploit mechanics.
Likely exposure
Internet-facing or internal SSH services are most relevant if they run portable OpenSSH before 4.4, especially where GSSAPI authentication is enabled. Modern supported OpenSSH packages are unlikely to be exposed, but long-lived appliances, embedded systems, or unmaintained Unix/Linux hosts should be checked.
Exploitation context
The CVE record says remote attackers can determine valid usernames. The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing, active exploitation, or exploit maturity. Treat it as reconnaissance-enabling rather than direct compromise based on the provided evidence.
Researcher notes
Evidence is sparse: the CVE describes unknown vectors and no CVSS or CWE. Focus analysis on version, platform, and GSSAPI exposure. Avoid assuming all OpenSSH deployments are affected because the description limits impact to portable OpenSSH on some platforms.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade OpenSSH to 4.4 or a vendor-supported fixed package.
- Review relevant vendor advisories for platform-specific corrected versions.
- Retire or isolate systems that cannot receive supported OpenSSH updates.
- Restrict SSH exposure to trusted networks where immediate upgrade is not possible.
- Review GSSAPI authentication settings against vendor guidance.
Validation and detection
- Inventory SSH servers and record OpenSSH package versions.
- Flag portable OpenSSH versions earlier than 4.4 for remediation review.
- Confirm whether GSSAPI authentication is enabled on flagged systems.
- Map legacy hosts to vendor advisories listed in the CVE references.
- Use authenticated package checks rather than username-enumeration testing in production.
Public sources used
Based on public source material and reviewed before publication.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CVE-2006-5052 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- 20245CVE reference · vdb-entry, x_refsource_BID
- 20061005 rPSA-2006-0185-1 gnome-ssh-askpass openssh openssh-client openssh-serverCVE reference · mailing-list, x_refsource_BUGTRAQ
- http://openssh.org/txt/release-4.4CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- TA07-072ACVE reference · third-party-advisory, x_refsource_CERT
- GLSA-200611-06CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_GENTOO
- SUSE-SA:2006:062CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_SUSE
- APPLE-SA-2007-03-13CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_APPLE
- 29266CVE reference · vdb-entry, x_refsource_OSVDB
- http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=305214CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- 27588CVE reference · third-party-advisory, x_refsource_SECUNIA
- https://issues.rpath.com/browse/RPL-681CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- 1016939CVE reference · vdb-entry, x_refsource_SECTRACK
- http://support.avaya.com/elmodocs2/security/ASA-2007-527.htmCVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:10178CVE reference · vdb-entry, signature
- openssh-gssapi-user-enumeration(29255)CVE reference · vdb-entry, x_refsource_XF
- 22495CVE reference · third-party-advisory, x_refsource_SECUNIA
- 22823CVE reference · third-party-advisory, x_refsource_SECUNIA
- SSA:2006-272-02CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_SLACKWARE
- [openssh-unix-dev] 20060927 Announce: OpenSSH 4.4 releasedCVE reference · mailing-list, x_refsource_MLIST
- RHSA-2007:0703CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHSA-2006:0697CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- ADV-2007-0930CVE reference · vdb-entry, x_refsource_VUPEN
- 28320CVE reference · third-party-advisory, x_refsource_SECUNIA
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.