LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
CVE Record

CVE-2021-41617: sshd in OpenSSH 6.2 through 8.x before 8.8, when certain non-default configurations are used, allows privil...

sshd in OpenSSH 6.2 through 8.x before 8.8, when certain non-default configurations are used, allows privilege escalation because supplemental groups are not initialized as expected. Helper programs for AuthorizedKeysCommand and AuthorizedPrincipalsCommand may run with privileges associated with group memberships of the sshd process, if the configuration specifies running the command as a different user.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
Discuss exposureBack to CVEs
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This OpenSSH issue can let helper programs run with unintended group privileges on servers using specific non-default SSH authentication helper settings. The main business concern is privilege escalation on systems that expose SSH and use those helper commands. Standard SSH configurations are less likely to be affected based on the provided description.

Executive priority

Treat this as a targeted hardening and patching priority, not an emergency unless affected helper configurations are present on critical or internet-facing SSH servers. Confirm exposure first, then patch through normal security maintenance channels.

Technical view

OpenSSH sshd 6.2 through pre-8.8 may fail to initialize supplemental groups before running AuthorizedKeysCommand or AuthorizedPrincipalsCommand helpers as another configured user. Those helpers may inherit group memberships from sshd, creating unintended access and privilege escalation potential under affected configurations.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely on Unix-like systems running OpenSSH before 8.8 with AuthorizedKeysCommand or AuthorizedPrincipalsCommand configured to run as a different user. Appliances or distributions embedding OpenSSH may also be exposed if their vendor advisories identify affected packages.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited evidence of active exploitation. The issue appears configuration-dependent and privilege-focused, not a default remote compromise path. Evidence is incomplete for practical exploit prevalence.

Researcher notes

Key uncertainty is environmental exposure: the CVE depends on non-default sshd helper command configuration. The bundle provides no CVSS, CWE, or active exploitation evidence. Analysis should focus on credential initialization, effective group privileges, and vendor package backports.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade OpenSSH to 8.8 or a vendor-patched package version.
  • Review vendor advisories for distribution or appliance-specific fixed builds.
  • Disable AuthorizedKeysCommand or AuthorizedPrincipalsCommand if they are not required.
  • Ensure helper command users have minimal group memberships and file access.
  • Prioritize externally reachable SSH servers with these non-default directives enabled.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory OpenSSH versions across servers, images, and appliances.
  • Review sshd configuration for AuthorizedKeysCommand and AuthorizedPrincipalsCommand use.
  • Confirm whether helper commands run as a different configured user.
  • Map affected hosts to vendor advisories and fixed package versions.
  • Check change records for non-default SSH authentication helper deployments.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
7

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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.

description · low confidence lookup

Privilege behavior lookup

The CVE wording references privilege impact, so privilege escalation and authorization behavior review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2021-41617 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

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.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
16Source links

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  2. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CVECVE Program Container
siemens-SADPADP container

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
n/an/an/aListed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.