# CVE-2006-5229: Information disclosure in n/a

> Remote attackers can enumerate valid usernames via timing discrepancies in OpenSSH, particularly when manual password configurations are used.

- **Severity:** Low 2.6 (`AV:N/AC:H/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 10 Oct 2006
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-w48g-c65j-5c6p

## What is CVE-2006-5229?

CVE-2006-5229 is a low-severity vulnerability in OpenSSH, published on 10 Oct 2006. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

OpenSSH portable 4.1 on SUSE Linux, and possibly other platforms and versions, and possibly under limited configurations, allows remote attackers to determine valid usernames via timing discrepancies in which responses take longer for valid usernames than invalid ones, as demonstrated by sshtime.  NOTE: as of 20061014, it appears that this issue is dependent on the use of manually-set passwords that causes delays when processing /etc/shadow due to an increased number of rounds.

Weakness: CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2006-5229?

It affects 1 product.


Products: OpenSSH.

## How do I fix CVE-2006-5229?

No fix has been published for CVE-2006-5229 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2006-5229 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2006-5229 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Portable OpenSSH 3.6.1p-PAM/4.1-SuSE - Timing Attack (exploitdb)
- SSH Username Enumeration (metasploit)

## Other vulnerabilities in OpenSSH

- [CVE-2003-0786](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2003-0786/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2003-0693](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2003-0693/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2002-0640](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-0640/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2001-0144](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2001-0144/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2000-0999](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2000-0999/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2006-5229 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2006-5229 is a low-severity vulnerability in OpenSSH, published on 10 Oct 2006. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2006-5229 exists.

Affected product: OpenSSH. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-5229/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-5229/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2006-5229
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2006-5229
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2006-5229

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-5229/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.