# CVE-2026-54697: ConnectBot SSH: Excessive allocation and integer overflow in DER private-key parsing

> Attackers can cause denial of service via integer overflow and excessive memory allocation when parsing malicious DER private keys in ConnectBot SSH library.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.7 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 13 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 13 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vc8p-8pxg-rfwg

## What is CVE-2026-54697?

CVE-2026-54697 is a medium-severity vulnerability in connectbot cbssh, published on 13 Oct 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

ConnectBot SSH Client Library is written in Kotlin with Kaitai Struct and KStateMachine. Prior to 0.3.1, DerReader.readLength() accepts excessive long-form DER length octets, accumulates them into an Int, and primitive readers allocate arrays without checking the declared size against the remaining input. An application or user that loads an attacker-provided private-key file through SshClient.authenticatePublicKey(), SshKeys.decodePemPrivateKey(), SshSigning.sign(), or SshSigning.getPublicKey() can trigger integer wraparound, excessive allocation, or an uncaught OutOfMemoryError. SSH server host keys and agent-forwarding messages do not use this application-supplied private-key input path. No usable weakened key and no confidentiality or integrity impact have been demonstrated. This issue is fixed in version 0.3.1.

Weakness: CWE-789 (Memory Allocation with Excessive Size Value), CWE-190 (Integer Overflow or Wraparound)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-54697?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.connectbot.sshlib:sshlib.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `org.connectbot.sshlib:sshlib` | Maven | All versions to 0.3.0 | None |
| `org.connectbot.sshlib:sshlib` | Maven | All versions to 0.3.0 | None |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-54697?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-54697 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-54697 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-54697 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-54697 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-54697 is a medium-severity vulnerability in connectbot cbssh, published on 13 Oct 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-54697 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- org.connectbot.sshlib:sshlib (Maven): affected all versions up to 0.3.0; no fix listed
- org.connectbot.sshlib:sshlib (Maven): affected all versions up to 0.3.0; no fix listed

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-2026-54697/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-54697/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-54697
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-54697
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-54697

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-54697/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.