Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
On Windows, libssh may trust configuration files under C:\etc, a location an unprivileged local user can create or modify. An attacker with local access could influence SSH connections, intercept sensitive traffic, weaken security settings, or alter trusted-host information.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority endpoint and application-supply-chain issue, especially on shared Windows systems or developer workstations. Remediate affected builds promptly, but prioritize confirmed exposure over the listed RHEL and OpenShift products explicitly marked unaffected.
Technical view
CVE-2025-14821 is a CWE-427 insecure search-path/default-configuration flaw. A low-privileged local attacker can place or modify configuration under C:\etc before libssh loads it. The CVSS 3.1 score is 7.8, reflecting low-complexity local exploitation without user interaction and potentially high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Prioritize Windows applications embedding libssh and systems where unprivileged users can control C:\etc. The bundle identifies Red Hat Hardened Images package libssh-main version 0.12.0-1.1.hum1 as affected. Listed RHEL and OpenShift products are marked unaffected; broader product and version coverage is not established here.
Exploitation context
The attacker already needs low-privileged local access. Successful abuse could enable local man-in-the-middle interception, SSH security downgrades, and trusted-host manipulation. The source bundle does not identify CVE-2025-14821 as CISA KEV-listed and provides no evidence of active exploitation.
Researcher notes
Key validation questions are whether the application uses vulnerable libssh behavior, loads configuration from C:\etc, and permits low-privileged modification there. Exact upstream affected-version boundaries and a complete fixed-version mapping are not contained in the bundle; confirm them through the cited vendor and upstream advisories.
Mitigation direction
- Apply the updates or remediation specified in RHSA-2026:7067 for affected Red Hat packages.
- Review the libssh security-release guidance and obtain a vendor-confirmed fixed build.
- Prevent unprivileged users from creating or modifying C:\etc and relevant configuration files.
- Avoid relying solely on directory permissions where applications still load configuration from an unsafe path.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Windows applications and images that embed libssh or libssh-main.
- Compare installed package versions and product status against RHSA-2026:7067 and vendor guidance.
- Check whether C:\etc exists and whether unprivileged local users can modify it.
- Verify applications no longer consume attacker-controlled configuration from C:\etc after remediation.
- Review trusted-host data and SSH configuration for unauthorized changes on exposed systems.
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-427: 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 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-2025-14821 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
- 7.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9redhatVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- Source timelineredhat
Reported to Red Hat.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- 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-2026:7067CVE reference, redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-14821CVE reference, redhat · vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHBZ#2423148CVE reference, redhat · issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://www.libssh.org/2026/02/10/libssh-0-12-0-and-0-11-4-security-releases/CVE reference, redhat
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.
Uncontrolled Search Path Element
Uncontrolled Search Path Element represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.