CVE-2019-19522
OpenBSD 6.6, in a non-default configuration where S/Key or YubiKey authentication is enabled, allows local users to become root by leveraging membership in the auth group.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (0.47%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
OpenBSD 6.6, in a non-default configuration where S/Key or YubiKey authentication is enabled, allows local users to become root by leveraging membership in the auth group. This occurs because root's file can be written to /etc/skey or /var/db/yubikey, and need not be owned by root.
- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 0.47% probability · 40th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-732
- Affected
- openbsd/openbsd
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS 0.5% since 26 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/155572/Qualys-Security-Advisory-OpenBSD-Authentication-Bypass-Privilege-Escalation.htmlThird Party Advisory
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2019/Dec/14Third Party Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/12/04/5Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/Dec/8Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.openbsd.org/errata66.htmlVendor Advisory
- https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/12/04/5Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/155572/Qualys-Security-Advisory-OpenBSD-Authentication-Bypass-Privilege-Escalation.htmlThird Party Advisory
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2019/Dec/14Third Party Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/12/04/5Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/Dec/8Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.openbsd.org/errata66.htmlVendor Advisory
- https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/12/04/5Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.