Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2023-51385 is a client-side OpenSSH issue where crafted user or host names can be interpreted by a shell in some SSH expansion scenarios. A plausible business risk is developers or automation touching untrusted Git repositories with malicious submodule SSH URLs. It is not described as a direct server compromise.
Executive priority
Prioritize normal patch cycles for developer endpoints and automation systems, with faster action for CI environments handling third-party repositories. The risk is moderate but can affect trusted build or admin workflows.
Technical view
OpenSSH ssh before 9.6 could allow OS command injection when shell metacharacters in a user name or host name are expanded into certain configuration tokens, including cases involving ProxyCommand-style behavior. Upstream released OpenSSH 9.6 and a related commit. Vendor advisories confirm downstream package updates.
Likely exposure
Systems are most exposed where OpenSSH clients process attacker-controlled SSH destinations, such as developer workstations, CI jobs, automation, or package/build systems interacting with untrusted Git submodules or SSH URLs.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not show KEV listing or confirmed active exploitation. Public sources describe a realistic attack path using untrusted repository metadata, but successful impact depends on vulnerable client versions and unsafe expansion contexts.
Researcher notes
The affected CPE data in the bundle is incomplete, so product scope should be validated through vendor advisories. Focus analysis on OpenSSH client behavior before 9.6 and downstream package fixes, not sshd exposure.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade OpenSSH clients to 9.6 or vendor-patched packages.
- Apply relevant Debian, Gentoo, Apple, NetApp, or Siemens guidance where applicable.
- Review SSH configs using expansion tokens with ProxyCommand or similar shell-invoking options.
- Treat untrusted Git submodule SSH URLs as unsafe input.
- Restrict CI and developer workflows from automatically processing untrusted repositories.
Validation and detection
- Inventory OpenSSH client versions on workstations, build agents, and servers.
- Identify systems running OpenSSH before 9.6 or unpatched vendor builds.
- Search SSH configs for expansion tokens in shell-invoking options.
- Review CI jobs that clone or update untrusted Git submodules.
- Confirm vendor advisory status for packaged products and appliances.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
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.
CWE-78: Command execution behavior lookup
Command injection weaknesses can lead defenders to review execution techniques and command interpreter telemetry. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupExecution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCredential and access behavior lookup
The CVE wording references authentication or credential exposure, so valid-account and credential-access review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2023-51385 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
- Medium
- CVSS
- 6.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
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.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N3.92.5CISA-ADPVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
6.5MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.openssh.com/txt/release-9.6CVE reference, mitre
- https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/12/18/2CVE reference, mitre
- https://github.com/openssh/openssh-portable/commit/7ef3787c84b6b524501211b11a26c742f829af1aCVE reference, mitre
- DSA-5586CVE reference, mitre · vendor-advisory
- https://vin01.github.io/piptagole/ssh/security/openssh/libssh/remote-code-execution/2023/12/20/openssh-proxycommand-libssh-rce.htmlCVE reference, mitre
- [debian-lts-announce] 20231226 [SECURITY] [DLA 3694-1] openssh security updateCVE reference, mitre · mailing-list
- GLSA-202312-17CVE reference, mitre · vendor-advisory
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240105-0005/CVE reference, mitre
- https://support.apple.com/kb/HT214084CVE reference, mitre
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-794697.htmlCVE reference, siemens-SADP
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-769027.htmlCVE reference, siemens-SADP
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-082556.htmlCVE reference, siemens-SADP
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.
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.