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CVE-2026-54886EXPLOITEDPATCHED
erlang · otp

SSH SFTP server denial of service via extended channel data infinite loop

Description

Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop') vulnerability in Erlang OTP ssh (ssh_sftpd module) allows an authenticated SFTP user to render an SFTP channel permanently unresponsive. The handle_data/4 function in ssh_sftpd contains a catch-all clause that accepts channel data of any type. When channel data with a non-zero type code (SSH_MSG_CHANNEL_EXTENDED_DATA) arrives with an empty pending buffer and a payload at or below the SFTP packet size limit, the clause tail-calls itself with identical arguments, creating an infinite loop. The SFTP protocol operates exclusively on normal channel data (type 0). Extended data (non-zero type) is meaningless for SFTP and is never sent by conforming clients. However, the SSH protocol permits any channel participant to send extended data on an open channel, so an authenticated SFTP client can trigger the loop by sending SSH_MSG_CHANNEL_EXTENDED_DATA with any data_type_code and any non-empty payload at or below the size limit. The targeted ssh_sftpd process enters an infinite tail-recursive loop. It never processes another message, its message queue grows without bound, and it can only be stopped by killing the process. BEAM's reduction-based scheduler preemption continues to function, so other processes on the node are not starved, but each stuck channel process consumes its full CPU time share continuously and accumulates unbounded message queue memory. Opening many channels amplifies the CPU and memory impact. Erlang/OTP SSH configurations using the default max_channels setting (infinity) allow an authenticated user to open unlimited channels per connection, amplifying the attack without requiring multiple TCP connections or authentications. No file contents, credentials, or write access are obtainable through this issue. The impact is limited to denial of service on targeted SFTP channels, with secondary CPU degradation and memory growth. This vulnerability is associated with program file lib/ssh/src/ssh_sftpd.erl and program routine ssh_sftpd:handle_data/4. This issue affects OTP from OTP 17.0 until OTP 29.0.3, 28.5.0.3, and 27.3.4.14 corresponding to ssh from 3.0.1 until 6.0.2, 5.5.2.2, and 5.2.11.9.

Affected Products

VendorProductVersions
erlangotp3.0.1, 17.0, 84adefa3318eef8631bf25cd233246a86eea18cd

Also Affects

Downstream vendors/products affected by this vulnerability

VendorProductSourceConfidence
open sourceerlang/otpcert_advisory90%

References

  • https://github.com/erlang/otp/security/advisories/GHSA-7wp4-pc27-2vj9(vendor-advisory, related)
  • https://cna.erlef.org/cves/CVE-2026-54886.html(related)
  • https://osv.dev/vulnerability/EEF-CVE-2026-54886(related)
  • https://www.erlang.org/doc/system/versions.html#order-of-versions(x_version-scheme)
  • https://github.com/erlang/otp/commit/eaf9550b8ad4738b81149d3f617102d980c6dd18(patch)

Related News (2 articles)

Tier B
BSI Advisories11h ago
[NEU] [mittel] Erlang/OTP: Mehrere Schwachstellen
→ No new info (linked only)
Tier C
VulDB1d ago
CVE-2026-54886 | Erlang OTP up to 3.0.0/6.0.1/16.x/29.0.2 SFTP Protocol ssh_sftpd.erl infinite loop
→ No new info (linked only)
CISA KEV❌ No
Actively exploited✅ Yes
Patch available
*eaf9550b8ad4738b81149d3f617102d980c6dd18
CWECWE-835, CWE-400
PublishedJul 2, 2026
Last enriched1d agov2
Tags
CVE-2026-54886
Trending Score49
Source articles2
Independent2
Info Completeness8/14
Missing: cvss, epss, kev, exploit, iocs, mitre_attack

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Verification

State: unverified
Confidence: 0%

Vulnerability Timeline

CVE Published
Jul 2, 2026
Discovered by ZDM
Jul 2, 2026
Updated: affectedVersions, severity, activelyExploited, tags
Jul 2, 2026
Actively Exploited
Jul 3, 2026
Patch Available
Jul 3, 2026

Version History

v2
Last enriched 1d ago
v2Tier C1d ago

Updated affected versions, changed severity to HIGH, and noted that no exploit is available.

affectedVersionsseverityactivelyExploitedtags
via VulDB
v11d ago

Initial creation