# Vulnerability that lets hackers SSH into Linux devices is under active exploitation

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/vulnerability-that-lets-hackers-ssh-into-linux-devices-is-under-active-exploitation/
- Published: 2026-11-09T19:41:34+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-09T20:03:40+00:00
- Original publisher: Ars Technica
- Original article: https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/11/vulnerability-that-lets-hackers-ssh-into-linux-devices-is-under-active-exploitation/
- Topics: Cybersecurity, Technology

## Key points

- Attackers are exploiting a critical OpenSSH flaw on some Linux systems.
- The vulnerability requires specific library and account settings.
- Researchers urge OpenSSH users to install the fix promptly.

## Summary

Researchers say attackers are exploiting a critical OpenSSH vulnerability that can let them access privileged accounts on some Linux systems without authentication. The activity suggests concerns about wider compromise are becoming more concrete, and security researchers advise installing OpenSSH’s fix promptly.

The flaw, CVE-2026-123158, affects systems running OpenSSH with the musl library and without PAM, when certain password and account settings are also present. Attackers can trigger it by submitting a password longer than 256 characters for a passwordless account. One firm reported 20 attempts from 13 IP addresses across nine countries; another observed a group deploying a backdoor capable of running commands, surveying systems and maintaining access.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.