Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:NCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2026-94052 is a critical-severity Missing Critical Step in Authentication (CWE-304) vulnerability in Apache MINA SSHD (inferred from references). Its CVSS base score is 9.1 (Critical).
Operationally, ranked at the 30th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to AC-3 (Access Enforcement) and IA-2 (Identification and Authentication (Organizational Users)) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-89730
Vulnerability Data
A missing check in LdapPasswordAuthenticator in component sshd-ldap in Apache MINA SSHD versions 1.2.0 to 2.19.0 or 3.0.0-M1 to 3.0.0-M5 bypassed authentication checks. Apache MINA SSHD is a Java library for client-side and server-side SSH. The optional sshd-ldap component provides…
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support for integrating password and publickey authentication on the server side with an LDAP server. sshd-ldap is an optional component. SSH servers implemented with Apache MINA SSHD are affected only if they use sshd-ldap and do configure an LdapPasswordAuthenticator to be used for password authentication. Normal password authentication via the built-in mechanisms in sshd-core is _not_ affected by this vulnerability, which concerns only LdapPasswordAuthenticator. Users are recommended to upgrade affected applications to version 2.20.0 or 3.0.0-M6, which fix this issue.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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- 6 hardening rules · 2 OS baselines
V7.2.4
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
AC-3 enforces access decisions only after approved authentication has completed, making skipped authentication steps ineffective.
IA-2 requires unique identification and authentication of users, directly mandating that all critical authentication steps be performed rather than skipped.
IA-5 enforces proper authenticator lifecycle steps (verification, distribution, revocation) so that no required step in the authentication technique is omitted.
IA-8 requires unique identification and authentication of non-organizational users, ensuring the full authentication process is executed without missing steps.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Proper identity proofing and credential binding prevents skipping enrollment steps that weaken authentication.
Requiring complete authentication (e.g., MFA, password policy) directly stops omission of critical steps in the auth process.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Hardening callouts derived
Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (higher-evidence rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).
RHEL 7 (2 rules)
- V-204425 The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must be configured so that the SSH daemon does not allow authentication using an empty password. prevents CWE-304
- V-204424 The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must not allow accounts configured with blank or null passwords. prevents CWE-304
Ubuntu 22.04 (1 rule)
- V-260470 Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, when booted, must require authentication upon booting into single-user and maintenance modes. prevents CWE-304