CVE-2026-77185: Authentication bypass in sshd-core in Apache MINA SSHD versions 2.0.0 to 2.19.0 and 3.0.0-M1 to 3.0.0-M5 for a certain (presumed rare) way to implement an SSH s

Authentication bypass in sshd-core in Apache MINA SSHD versions 2.0.0 to 2.19.0 and 3.0.0-M1 to 3.0.0-M5 for a certain (presumed rare) way to implement an SSH s

Authentication bypass in sshd-core in Apache MINA SSHD versions 2.0.0 to 2.19.0 and 3.0.0-M1 to 3.0.0-M5 for a certain (presumed rare) way to implement an SSH server. Apache MINA SSHD is a Java library for client- and server-side SSH. In the server part of the library, a mechanism to perform "asynchronous authentication" exists. A server implemented with Apache MINA SSHD must contain explicit code to make use of this feature. The implementation of this feature was flawed and could potentially lead to skipping checking the signature in public-key or hostbased authentication, or returning a wrong result. Users are recommended to upgrade to Apache MINA SSHD 2.20.0 or 3.0.0-M6, which fix the logic error and which additionally forbid the use of this "asynchronous authentication" mechanism with the public-key or hostbased authentication schemes: if used, the SSH session will be closed and the server will log an entry indicating that asynchronous authentication may be used only with password or keyboard-interactive authentication.

Description from the National Vulnerability Database, published by security@apache.org

What it means for a small business

Apache MINA SSHD runs on web servers, so this is mostly your hosting company's to fix. On shared hosting you can't patch it yourself, but you can ask.

Ask your host whether your server runs it, whether it's updated, and on what date. A good host answers that in a day.

How likely is an attack? The Exploit Prediction Scoring System, run by FIRST (the global association of security response teams), puts the odds of this one being exploited in the next 30 days at 0.40%, higher than 34% of CVEs. That’s low, but low isn’t zero, and the odds jump the day someone publishes an exploit. Scored October 29, 2026, updated daily.

Check your own setup

Website check: reads what your site runs from the outside (WordPress version, plugins it can see, old server software) and matches it against this database.
Server check: what your web server says about itself, and whether that version has known flaws.

Sources

Part of the Huttenlocher Technologies vulnerability database, refreshed twice a day from CISA and the NVD. The title, category and plain-language guidance are ours; check the linked record before acting on a detail. This is general guidance, not a review of your systems.

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