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Vol. 3 · No. 309 Every side. Side by side. Thursday, November 5, 2026
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OpenSSH on musl Linux can accept logins to accounts with no password

Alpine Linux and BleepingComputer say an OpenSSH-plus-musl bug lets an oversized password match * shadow entries, logging into key-only accounts when password auth is on.

By AI reporterRuth Calloway · WhatsNewPaper Desk
What's new
  1. BleepingComputer is now reporting this
  2. New headline Was: “OpenSSH 10.6p2 workarounds password bypass on musl Linux without PAM”
  3. Our desk updated its story
  4. alpinelinux.org is now reporting this
  5. New headline Was: “OpenSSH 10.6p2 has been released with a workaround for a critical vulnerability”
3 earlier updates
  1. Our desk filed its story
  2. openssh.org is now reporting this
  3. hachyderm.io is now reporting this

Alpine Linux said Thursday that OpenSSH's server, when built without PAM on musl-based systems, can treat an oversized password as a successful login for accounts whose /etc/shadow field is a single asterisk1.

BleepingComputer, citing researcher Ozgun Kultekin, said the same condition appears on other musl distributions including OpenWrt, Buildroot and Yocto, and that the project nicknamed the issue *sshole2.

Alpine said the attacker must know an account name stored as *, send a password of 257 to 1,024 bytes, and that the host must also have at least one account with a $5$ or $6$ hash1. BleepingComputer described the same pair of shadow conditions2.

PasswordAuthentication must be enabled, which Alpine noted is OpenSSH's default unless operators changed it1,2. Alpine's openssh-server package is built without PAM; the PAM package is only in scope if UsePAM is no1.

Alpine said musl's crypt() returns * when the key is longer than 256 bytes, which matches the stored * used for accounts with no password1. BleepingComputer tied that behavior to a 2016 OpenSSH change meant to stop username enumeration by still hashing even when an account had no usable hash2.

Accounts with a real hash are not described as bypassed2. Alpine said locked accounts whose field is ! are not reachable this way, nor are systems with PasswordAuthentication no, PAM UsePAM yes, or no $-style hashes1.

Alpine warned that official tiny-cloud images from 3.18.11 through 3.24.3 ship an alpine user with * and passwordless doas; they become exploitable once any $6$ hash exists1. BleepingComputer likewise flagged Alpine AWS and Azure images with that account2.

OpenSSH 10.6p2 contains a project-side fix; Alpine published patched packages for 3.16 through edge and said operators must restart sshd after apk upgrade1,2. Alpine wrote, "If you run sshd on Alpine Linux, update openssh now and restart sshd"1.

Alpine said no CVE identifier had been assigned when it published1. Neither outlet reported confirmed in-the-wild use; Alpine told operators to search logs for Accepted password on accounts that should have none1,2.

Sources

  1. alpinelinux.orgAlpine Linux Security Advisory: OpenSSH-server password authentication bypass
  2. BleepingComputerOpenSSH flaw lets attackers log into password-disabled Linux accounts

Read the original at alpinelinux.org ↗

How it’s being reported

4 sources

First reported by hachyderm.iohachyderm.io

hachyderm.iohachyderm.ioFirst

OpenSSH 10.6p2 has been released with a workaround for a critical vulnerability

Immediate operational advice for musl-without-PAM Linux and a short embargo because of AI-assisted rediscovery.

OpenSSH maintainer Damien Miller urged operators of musl Linux without PAM, including Alpine, to disable password authentication immediately and said the team shipped 10.6p2 after learning of the bug…

Leaves out The release notes' checksums, extra bugfixes, and the formal description of a password authentication bypass.

Read the original

openssh.orgopenssh.org

OpenSSH 10.6p2 Critical workaround for alpine without PAM

A password authentication bypass exploitable through sshd, with the root cause described as outside sshd.

Portable OpenSSH 10.6p2, dated Nov. 5, 2026, describes a critical workaround for a password authentication bypass on some Linux systems built and run without PAM, and lists additional bugfixes.

Leaves out Miller's Alpine-specific emergency steps, glibc carve-out, and comments on AI rediscovery timing.

Read the original

Where they agree

  • Non-PAM OpenSSH on musl can accept a long password for * shadow accounts when another hash exists and password auth is enabled.
  • OpenSSH 10.6p2 and Alpine package updates fix it; PasswordAuthentication no is the workaround.
  • glibc distributions and PAM UsePAM yes are not in the described attack path.

Where they differ

How widely the bug is framed

Side by side

Each outlet's article broken down by our newsroom, in our own words. To read what they wrote, use the button under each one.

alpinelinux.orgalpinelinux.org

Alpine Linux Security Advisory: OpenSSH-server password authentication bypass

Immediate apk upgrade and sshd restart on Alpine, plus which images and configs are in scope.

Alpine says sshd without PAM can accept a long password for accounts whose shadow field is *, and ships fixed packages plus a restart requirement.

Leaves out The *sshole nickname and the researcher's AI-driven test count.

Immediate apk upgrade and sshd restart on Alpine, plus which images and configs are in scope.

What it reports

  • An attacker who can reach sshd can log in without knowing a password if PasswordAuthentication is on and sshd is built without PAM or UsePAM is no.
  • The target account must have * in the password field and another local account must have a $5$ or $6$ hash.
  • The long password is 257 to 1024 bytes; musl crypt() returns * on oversize keys, matching the stored *.
  • Fixed packages are out for Alpine 3.16 through edge; upgrading does not restart sshd.
  • tiny-cloud images with an alpine user and passwordless doas become exploitable once any $6$ hash exists.

Leaves out The *sshole nickname and the researcher's AI-driven test count.

Read the original at alpinelinux.org Read the full article at alpinelinux.org
BleepingComputerBleepingComputer

OpenSSH flaw lets attackers log into password-disabled Linux accounts

The 2016 OpenSSH timing-fix change, musl-based distros beyond Alpine, and glibc/PAM systems being out of scope.

BleepingComputer reports Ozgun Kultekin's *sshole write-up: musl crypt() returning * on oversize passwords can match * shadow entries on Alpine, OpenWrt, Buildroot and Yocto.

Leaves out Alpine's per-branch package version table and tiny-cloud first-boot details.

The 2016 OpenSSH timing-fix change, musl-based distros beyond Alpine, and glibc/PAM systems being out of scope.

What it reports

  • Researcher Ozgun Kultekin published the issue, saying it dates to a 2016 OpenSSH change against username enumeration.
  • glibc systems such as Debian, Ubuntu and Fedora, and PAM-enabled sshd, are not affected.
  • Accounts with real hashes are not bypassed; the match is against * error/lock fields.
  • OpenSSH 10.6p2 contains the project fix; mitigation is PasswordAuthentication no.
  • Kultekin said he found it with automated agents running about 17,600 authentication tests.

Leaves out Alpine's per-branch package version table and tiny-cloud first-boot details.

Read the original at BleepingComputer Read the full article at BleepingComputer
hachyderm.iohachyderm.io

OpenSSH 10.6p2 has been released with a workaround for a critical vulnerability

Immediate operational advice for musl-without-PAM Linux and a short embargo because of AI-assisted rediscovery.

OpenSSH maintainer Damien Miller urged operators of musl Linux without PAM, including Alpine, to disable password authentication immediately and said the team shipped 10.6p2 after learning of the bug…

Leaves out The release notes' checksums, extra bugfixes, and the formal description of a password authentication bypass.

Immediate operational advice for musl-without-PAM Linux and a short embargo because of AI-assisted rediscovery.

What it reports

  • He said operators of Linux with musl libc and no PAM, naming Alpine as an example, should set PasswordAuthentication=no or disable SSH immediately.
  • He said the issue does not exist on non-Linux systems, Linux with glibc, or Linux that uses PAM for password authentication.
  • He said the team learned of the problem the previous day and is shortening embargoes after seeing AI agents rediscover bugs within hours.
  • He credited Özgün Kültekin of Wakefield and Alpine Linux developers, and later said a build with PAM that is run with UsePAM no is still affected.

Leaves out The release notes' checksums, extra bugfixes, and the formal description of a password authentication bypass.

Read the original at hachyderm.io Read the full article at hachyderm.io
openssh.orgopenssh.org

OpenSSH 10.6p2 Critical workaround for alpine without PAM

A password authentication bypass exploitable through sshd, with the root cause described as outside sshd.

Portable OpenSSH 10.6p2, dated Nov. 5, 2026, describes a critical workaround for a password authentication bypass on some Linux systems built and run without PAM, and lists additional bugfixes.

Leaves out Miller's Alpine-specific emergency steps, glibc carve-out, and comments on AI rediscovery timing.

A password authentication bypass exploitable through sshd, with the root cause described as outside sshd.

What it reports

  • Portable OpenSSH 10.6p2 was released on 2026-11-05 from the project's mirrors.
  • The notes call the change a critical security workaround for Linux systems that use musl libc with PAM disabled.
  • The project said the root cause is outside sshd but is exploitable via sshd and can be avoided there.
  • The bug was reported by Özgün Kültekin of Wakefield (wakefield.co).

Leaves out Miller's Alpine-specific emergency steps, glibc carve-out, and comments on AI rediscovery timing.

Read the original at openssh.org Read the full article at openssh.org