# CVE-2008-5161: Information disclosure in n/a

> Remote attackers can recover plaintext data from SSH sessions using CBC mode ciphers due to error handling flaws in SSH implementations.

- **Severity:** Low 3.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/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:** Yes
- **Published:** 19 Nov 2008
- **Updated:** 28 May 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2008-5161, GHSA-c9pj-mwph-2xjm, RHSA-2009:1287

## What is CVE-2008-5161?

CVE-2008-5161 is a low-severity vulnerability in OpenSSH, published on 19 Nov 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Error handling in the SSH protocol in (1) SSH Tectia Client and Server and Connector 4.0 through 4.4.11, 5.0 through 5.2.4, and 5.3 through 5.3.8; Client and Server and ConnectSecure 6.0 through 6.0.4; Server for Linux on IBM System z 6.0.4; Server for IBM z/OS 5.5.1 and earlier, 6.0.0, and 6.0.1; and Client 4.0-J through 4.3.3-J and 4.0-K through 4.3.10-K; and (2) OpenSSH 4.7p1 and possibly other versions, when using a block cipher algorithm in Cipher Block Chaining (CBC) mode, makes it easier for remote attackers to recover certain plaintext data from an arbitrary block of ciphertext in an SSH session via unknown vectors.

Weakness: CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor), CWE-329 (Generation of Predictable IV with CBC Mode)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-5161?

It affects 5 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `openssh` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | All versions | 0:4.3p2-36.el5 |
| `openssh-askpass` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | All versions | 0:4.3p2-36.el5 |
| `openssh-clients` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | All versions | 0:4.3p2-36.el5 |
| `openssh-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | All versions | 0:4.3p2-36.el5 |
| `openssh-server` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | All versions | 0:4.3p2-36.el5 |
| `openssh` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | All versions | 0:4.3p2-36.el5 |
| `openssh-askpass` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | All versions | 0:4.3p2-36.el5 |
| `openssh-clients` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | All versions | 0:4.3p2-36.el5 |
| `openssh-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | All versions | 0:4.3p2-36.el5 |
| `openssh-server` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | All versions | 0:4.3p2-36.el5 |

Products: OpenSSH, Ssh Tectia Client, Ssh Tectia Connector, Ssh Tectia Connectsecure, Ssh Tectia Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-5161?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2008-5161 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-5161 exists.

Public exploit code:

- CVE-2008-5161 OpenSSH 4.7p1 Audit Helper Automates version checking and credential auditing of legacy OpenSSH 4.7p1 (Debian-8ubuntu1) targets by driving Metasploit’s auxiliary/scanner/ssh/ssh_login module from Python via pwntools. (github_poc): https://github.com/talha3117/OpenSSH-4.7p1-CVE-2008-5161-Exploit
- SSH Version Scanner (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-2008-5161 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-5161 is a low-severity vulnerability in OpenSSH, published on 19 Nov 2008. 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-2008-5161 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-2008-5161/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5161/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-5161
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-5161
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-5161

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5161/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.