# CVE-2026-53239: OpenSSH privilege escalation in AuthorizedKeysCommand helper programs

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2021-41617-openssh-privilege-escalation-in-authorizedkeyscommand-helper  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2021-09-26. Updated: 2026-05-12  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-53239 · Severity: high · CVSS 7 · Published 2021-09-26

OpenSSH is a widely used tool for secure remote access to servers. A vulnerability in the server component (sshd) could allow a local user to gain higher-level system privileges under specific configurations. This occurs when the server is set up to use external helper programs to verify user keys or identities, potentially allowing those programs to run with more authority than intended.

Technologies: [OpenBSD Openssh](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/openssh), [SUSE Linux Enterprise Server](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/linux-enterprise-server). Vendors: [OpenBSD](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/openbsd), [Suse](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/suse).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-53239 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-53239 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-53239?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7, published 26 September 2021.

**Which products and versions are affected?** OpenBSD Openssh 6.2 through 8.x before 8.8; SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11, 12, 15.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-53239?** A patch was published on 2021-09-26: Fixed in OpenSSH 8.8. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-53239 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-53239?** Check whether you run OpenBSD Openssh or SUSE Linux Enterprise Server at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in OpenSSH's sshd process between versions 6.2 and 8.8. When the 'AuthorizedKeysCommand' or 'AuthorizedPrincipalsCommand' directives are used with a 'User' specified (e.g., AuthorizedKeysCommandUser), the process fails to properly initialize supplemental groups. Instead of running with only the intended user's groups, the helper programs inherit the supplemental groups of the parent sshd process (typically root). A local attacker with low privileges could exploit this to execute commands with elevated group permissions. This requires a non-default configuration where these specific commands are enabled. The issue is resolved in OpenSSH 8.8.

## Affected products

- OpenBSD OpenSSH 6.2 through 8.x before 8.8
- SUSE SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11, 12, 15
- Fedora Project Fedora 34
- Debian Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster)

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-53239
- CVE-2026-43033
- CVE-2026-31417
- CVE-2026-52986
- CVE-2026-23370
- CVE-2026-23391
- CVE-2026-31466
- CVE-2025-38125
- CVE-2025-37917
- CVE-2025-21648
- CVE-2025-21814
- CVE-2025-21913
- CVE-2025-68742
- CVE-2025-38732
- CVE-2025-40196
- CVE-2025-38721
- CVE-2025-71085
- CVE-2025-40022
- CVE-2025-21705
- CVE-2025-68818
- CVE-2026-23154
- CVE-2024-58020
- CVE-2025-21926
- CVE-2025-68788
- CVE-2025-21864
- CVE-2026-23060
- CVE-2026-23321
- CVE-2026-53006
- CVE-2025-71112
- CVE-2025-38162
- CVE-2025-37959
- CVE-2025-21702
- CVE-2025-38322
- CVE-2026-23378
- CVE-2026-23414
- CVE-2026-43303
- CVE-2024-56719
- CVE-2026-23086
- CVE-2026-31669
- CVE-2025-39681
- CVE-2026-46116
- CVE-2026-53400
- CVE-2025-39931
- CVE-2026-31634
- CVE-2025-21795
- CVE-2024-28956
- CVE-2025-71079
- CVE-2026-23011
- CVE-2026-22977
- CVE-2026-64422
- CVE-2026-53236
- CVE-2025-68803
- CVE-2025-22005
- CVE-2026-23095
- CVE-2026-46033
- CVE-2026-23274
- CVE-2026-23398
- CVE-2026-31389
- CVE-2026-31447
- CVE-2024-56703
- CVE-2026-31424
- CVE-2026-31563
- CVE-2025-61985
- CVE-2025-38614
- CVE-2025-71113
- CVE-2026-23083
- CVE-2025-38681
- CVE-2025-71131
- CVE-2025-71186
- CVE-2026-23242
- CVE-2026-31452
- CVE-2026-31700
- CVE-2026-46333
- CVE-2026-52912
- CVE-2026-53223
- CVE-2026-31469
- CVE-2026-31503
- CVE-2026-31518
- CVE-2026-3497
- CVE-2026-23270
- CVE-2026-31546
- CVE-2025-39980
- CVE-2026-43038
- CVE-2025-71095
- CVE-2026-23290
- CVE-2026-31680
- CVE-2025-39826
- CVE-2026-52933
- CVE-2025-68798
- CVE-2024-50164
- CVE-2025-37945
- CVE-2026-23365
- CVE-2025-21645
- CVE-2025-38727
- CVE-2025-39955
- CVE-2026-53275
- CVE-2026-31555
- CVE-2025-68725
- CVE-2026-64412
- CVE-2026-23100
- CVE-2025-21959
- CVE-2026-52943
- CVE-2026-22992
- CVE-2025-71075
- CVE-2026-23273
- CVE-2025-40105
- CVE-2023-28531
- CVE-2025-68264
- CVE-2026-43057
- CVE-2026-52970
- CVE-2026-31504
- CVE-2025-68349
- CVE-2025-39964
- CVE-2026-23019
- CVE-2026-46037
- CVE-2025-71266
- CVE-2026-23005
- CVE-2025-21731
- CVE-2025-68764
- CVE-2025-40070
- CVE-2025-39721
- CVE-2026-23293
- CVE-2024-58058
- CVE-2026-52910
- CVE-2025-21765
- CVE-2026-64279
- CVE-2026-64411
- CVE-2024-56631
- CVE-2025-71221
- CVE-2026-31515
- CVE-2025-71191
- CVE-2025-38736
- CVE-2026-22994
- CVE-2025-21655
- CVE-2024-53170
- CVE-2026-23475
- CVE-2026-43089
- CVE-2024-47736
- CVE-2025-21758
- CVE-2025-40080
- CVE-2026-64371
- CVE-2026-31768
- CVE-2026-23054
- CVE-2025-39764
- CVE-2025-71185
- CVE-2026-23351
- CVE-2026-43492
- CVE-2026-31664
- CVE-2025-21863
- CVE-2025-21999
- CVE-2026-46174
- CVE-2026-46021
- CVE-2025-71114
- CVE-2024-58016
- CVE-2026-23111
- CVE-2026-53012
- CVE-2025-21867
- CVE-2025-37980
- CVE-2026-43216
- CVE-2025-38232
- CVE-2026-31658
- CVE-2026-46173
- CVE-2025-21745
- CVE-2025-22111
- CVE-2026-31416
- CVE-2025-37972
- CVE-2026-31671
- CVE-2024-36927
- CVE-2024-42079
- CVE-2024-47809
- CVE-2026-52946
- CVE-2026-31649
- CVE-2026-46132
- CVE-2026-23438
- CVE-2026-31428
- CVE-2025-21802
- CVE-2025-39953
- CVE-2025-68363
- CVE-2026-23304
- CVE-2024-26783
- CVE-2024-49994
- CVE-2026-23026
- CVE-2026-31651
- CVE-2023-53292
- CVE-2026-23455
- CVE-2026-53268
- CVE-2026-23284
- CVE-2025-21760
- CVE-2025-22015
- CVE-2025-68814
- CVE-2025-71098
- CVE-2026-43024
- CVE-2026-31494
- CVE-2025-22107
- CVE-2026-23277
- CVE-2026-23449
- CVE-2025-68776
- CVE-2025-71086
- CVE-2026-31508
- CVE-2024-36903
- CVE-2024-50063
- CVE-2025-39845
- CVE-2025-38704
- CVE-2026-53218
- CVE-2026-52942
- CVE-2026-31414
- CVE-2026-45841
- CVE-2026-46303
- CVE-2025-21682
- CVE-2026-31761
- CVE-2026-43085
- CVE-2025-22121
- CVE-2026-23463
- CVE-2025-21925
- CVE-2025-40300
- CVE-2026-31421
- CVE-2026-31423
- CVE-2026-23457
- CVE-2026-53249
- CVE-2026-53269
- CVE-2026-53002
- CVE-2024-57979
- CVE-2025-23136
- CVE-2026-23399
- CVE-2026-23446
- CVE-2026-31427
- CVE-2026-53352
- CVE-2026-31565
- CVE-2024-50014
- CVE-2025-22060
- CVE-2024-57924
- CVE-2025-71088
- CVE-2026-31665
- CVE-2026-23474
- CVE-2025-21764
- CVE-2025-39871
- CVE-2025-71161
- CVE-2026-31682
- CVE-2026-64538
- CVE-2026-43116
- CVE-2026-31446
- CVE-2025-71104
- CVE-2026-23340
- CVE-2024-58086
- CVE-2026-23397
- CVE-2026-31496
- CVE-2025-39770
- CVE-2026-52930
- CVE-2025-23143
- CVE-2026-23300
- CVE-2025-21887
- CVE-2026-31485
- CVE-2026-53295
- CVE-2026-27135
- CVE-2025-39748
- CVE-2025-39978
- CVE-2025-37785
- CVE-2026-22979
- CVE-2026-23010
- CVE-2026-43035
- CVE-2025-68820
- CVE-2026-23343
- CVE-2025-40219
- CVE-2025-21938
- CVE-2025-22055
- CVE-2025-21780
- CVE-2025-68787
- CVE-2026-31403
- CVE-2025-37964
- CVE-2026-43030
- CVE-2026-46323
- CVE-2025-71197
- CVE-2026-41989
- CVE-2025-39795
- CVE-2025-21846
- CVE-2025-21919
- CVE-2026-23243
- CVE-2024-49968
- CVE-2026-64425
- CVE-2026-23422
- CVE-2025-22095
- CVE-2025-38201
- CVE-2025-39977
- CVE-2026-31411
- CVE-2026-46086
- CVE-2025-38591
- CVE-2025-21706
- CVE-2026-31422
- CVE-2026-23319
- CVE-2025-37909
- CVE-2025-22090
- CVE-2026-23038
- CVE-2026-23450
- CVE-2024-57973
- CVE-2025-68782
- CVE-2025-71267
- CVE-2026-23271
- CVE-2026-31495
- CVE-2026-23084
- CVE-2026-31628
- CVE-2026-64560
- CVE-2026-31415
- CVE-2026-23113
- CVE-2024-53124
- CVE-2026-46172
- CVE-2026-23452
- CVE-2026-43025
- CVE-2026-43071
- CVE-2024-57917
- CVE-2025-68261
- CVE-2024-46786
- CVE-2026-52998
- CVE-2025-39827
- CVE-2025-68773
- CVE-2025-21676
- CVE-2025-40135
- CVE-2025-68371
- CVE-2025-71123
- CVE-2023-52927
- CVE-2026-31391
- CVE-2025-21796
- CVE-2026-31752
- CVE-2026-31402
- CVE-2026-23245
- CVE-2026-23381
- CVE-2026-64413
- CVE-2025-38192
- CVE-2025-71064
- CVE-2025-68291
- CVE-2026-53219
- CVE-2026-46015
- CVE-2026-46306
- CVE-2025-39691
- CVE-2026-43499
- CVE-2026-46040
- CVE-2025-39756
- CVE-2026-64370
- CVE-2026-22982
- CVE-2021-41617
- CVE-2025-40078
- CVE-2026-31521
- CVE-2025-68266
- CVE-2025-39782
- CVE-2026-43501
- CVE-2026-46101
- CVE-2026-23392
- CVE-2026-23255
- CVE-2026-23379
- CVE-2026-31674
- CVE-2026-53001
- CVE-2026-31737
- CVE-2026-43026
- CVE-2026-64317
- CVE-2025-71097
- CVE-2026-31418
- CVE-2026-53134
- CVE-2024-58011
- CVE-2026-23439
- CVE-2026-31670
- CVE-2026-52999
- CVE-2025-68206
- CVE-2026-23110
- CVE-2026-23087
- CVE-2026-31533
- CVE-2026-64552
- CVE-2024-58061
- CVE-2025-71163
- CVE-2025-39773
- CVE-2025-39866
- CVE-2025-22083
- CVE-2026-31450
- CVE-2025-71162
- CVE-2026-31449
- CVE-2025-22056
- CVE-2025-40149
- CVE-2025-21707
- CVE-2025-68724
- CVE-2026-23458
- CVE-2026-31681
- CVE-2025-68337
- CVE-2025-38725
- CVE-2025-71189
- CVE-2026-22980
- CVE-2026-23103
- CVE-2024-58056
- CVE-2026-40355
- CVE-2026-23231
- CVE-2025-71265
- CVE-2026-31507
- CVE-2026-31448
- CVE-2026-23003
- CVE-2025-61984
- CVE-2026-43027
- CVE-2024-57977
- CVE-2026-23335
- CVE-2026-23434
- CVE-2026-23454
- CVE-2026-23359
- CVE-2026-53050
- CVE-2024-49998
- CVE-2025-40261
- CVE-2026-23456
- CVE-2025-68816
- CVE-2026-63810
- CVE-2026-64423
- CVE-2025-71120
- CVE-2026-31396
- CVE-2025-21718
- CVE-2025-21853
- CVE-2025-68265
- CVE-2024-27056
- CVE-2026-23368
- CVE-2026-43040
- CVE-2026-31441
- CVE-2025-71190
- CVE-2026-43028
- CVE-2025-21861
- CVE-2026-23204
- CVE-2023-51384
- CVE-2024-54458
- CVE-2026-23287
- CVE-2024-50298
- CVE-2025-21875
- CVE-2026-46046
- CVE-2026-43011
- CVE-2026-64545
- CVE-2026-64375
- CVE-2026-46193

## Timeline

- 2021-09-26: disclosed: Initial disclosure and OpenSSH 8.8 release notes published.
- 2021-09-26: patched: Fixed in OpenSSH 8.8.
- 2021-09-26: advisory: NVD publication date.

## References

- [https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1190975](https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1190975)
- [https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/12/msg00017.html](https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/12/msg00017.html)
- [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/6XJIONMHMKZDTMH6BQR5TNLF2WDCGWED/)
- [https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/KVI7RWM2JLNMWTOFK6BDUSGNOIPZYPUT/](https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/KVI7RWM2JLNMWTOFK6BDUSGNOIPZYPUT/)
- [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/W44V2PFQH5YLRN6ZJTVRKAD7CU6CYYET/)
- [https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20211014-0004/](https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20211014-0004/)
- [https://www.debian.org/security/2023/dsa-5586](https://www.debian.org/security/2023/dsa-5586)

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