Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A timing flaw in specific Red Hat OpenSSH server builds could let an unauthenticated remote attacker crash SSH services or, in the worst case, execute code as the unprivileged account running sshd. Successful exploitation requires winning a difficult race condition, but externally reachable SSH servers warrant prompt attention.
Executive priority
Treat this as high-priority remediation for exposed RHEL 9 and affected OpenShift infrastructure. The potential impact includes SSH disruption and limited remote code execution, although attack complexity is high and active exploitation is not evidenced. Validate scope before broad emergency action because the supplied record identifies a Red Hat-specific affected set.
Technical view
When authentication exceeds the configured timeout, sshd asynchronously invokes a SIGALRM handler. That handler can call functions such as syslog() that are not async-signal-safe, creating a race condition classified as CWE-364. The supplied assessment assigns CVSS 3.1 score 7.0, with high attack complexity, no required privileges, and no user interaction.
Likely exposure
The supplied scope identifies affected builds in RHEL 9, RHEL 9.0 SAP Update Services, RHEL 9.2 EUS, and OpenShift 4.13–4.16 RHCOS. RHEL 6, 7, 8, and 10 are listed as unaffected. The bundle does not support treating all upstream OpenSSH installations as affected.
Exploitation context
No active exploitation is established: the CVE is not listed in KEV, and the supplied sources provide no cited evidence of attacks. Exploitation is remotely reachable before authentication but requires precise timing. Internet exposure increases opportunity, while successful code execution would reportedly retain the unprivileged sshd account context.
Researcher notes
The important distinction is downstream scope: the bundle marks generic OpenSSH as unaffected by default while naming specific Red Hat packages and RHCOS builds. The worst-case primitive is signal-handler memory corruption or unsafe reentrancy, but the supplied material does not establish a reliable exploit, observed compromise indicators, or fixed-version boundaries beyond linking vendor errata.
Mitigation direction
- Apply the applicable Red Hat security errata through supported update channels.
- Prioritize affected systems exposing SSH to the internet or untrusted networks.
- Restrict SSH access to trusted sources while remediation is pending.
- Update affected OpenShift and RHCOS deployments using supported Red Hat procedures.
- Check current vendor guidance before adopting configuration workarounds; none are established in the bundle.
Validation and detection
- Inventory OpenSSH package builds across RHEL 9 and listed OpenShift releases.
- Compare installed builds and platform streams with the applicable Red Hat advisory.
- Confirm remediated systems no longer match vendor-designated affected builds.
- Identify SSH listeners reachable from internet or untrusted network segments.
- Review repeated unauthenticated timeout events, recognizing they do not prove exploitation.
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-364: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. 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 lookupContainer behavior lookup
The affected technology mentions containers, so container-specific ATT&CK technique review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2024-6409 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
- High
- CVSS
- 7 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H
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:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H2.24.7redhatVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- Source timelineredhat
Reported to Red Hat.
- Source timelineredhat
Made public.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- 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
- RHSA-2024:4457CVE reference, redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHSA-2024:4613CVE reference, redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHSA-2024:4716CVE reference, redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHSA-2024:4910CVE reference, redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHSA-2024:4955CVE reference, redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHSA-2024:4960CVE reference, redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHSA-2024:5444CVE reference, redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2024-6409CVE reference, redhat · vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHBZ#2295085CVE reference, redhat · issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://almalinux.org/blog/2024-07-09-cve-2024-6409/CVE reference, CVE · x_transferred
- https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1227217CVE reference, CVE · x_transferred
- https://explore.alas.aws.amazon.com/CVE-2024-6409.htmlCVE reference, CVE · x_transferred
- https://github.com/openela-main/openssh/commit/c00da7741d42029e49047dd89e266d91dcfbffa0CVE reference, CVE · x_transferred
- https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2024-6409CVE reference, CVE · x_transferred
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240712-0003/CVE reference, CVE · x_transferred
- https://sig-security.rocky.page/issues/CVE-2024-6409/CVE reference, CVE · x_transferred
- https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2024-6409CVE reference, CVE · x_transferred
- https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2024-6409.htmlCVE reference, CVE · x_transferred
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.
Signal Handler Race Condition
Signal Handler Race Condition represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.