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Russh: Missing X25519 zero-point validation in hybrid ML-KEM key exchange

Type: advisorySource: OSV1 source record

## Vulnerability The hybrid ML-KEM 768 + X25519 key exchange implementation in `russh/src/kex/hybrid_mlkem.rs` does not validate that the remote peer's X25519 public key is not the zero point (all-zero 32-byte value). This allows a remote peer to force the X25519 contribution to the combined shared secret to zero, reducing the hybrid KEX to a single-algorithm exchange. Affected code at HEAD (v0.62.4, commit 0089c89): **Server-side** (`server_dh`, lines 92-93): ```rust let mut c_pk1 = MontgomeryPoint([0; 32]); c_pk1.0.copy_from_slice(c_pk1_bytes); // No zero-point check - proceeds to: let k_cl = s_secret * c_pk1; ``` **Client-side** (`compute_shared_secret`, lines 154-155): ```rust let mut s_pk1 = MontgomeryPoint([0; 32]); s_pk1.0.copy_from_slice(s_pk1_bytes); // No zero-point check - proceeds to: let k_cl = x25519_secret * s_pk1; ``` ## Root Cause Commit a7fc1eb (2026-07-22, "fix mpint encoding and validate curve25519 keys") added zero-point validation to the standalone Curve25519 KEX in `russh/src/kex/curve25519.rs` at two locations: - `server_dh` line 77: `if client_pubkey.0 == [0u8; 32] { return Err(crate::Error::Kex); }` - `compute_shared_secret` line 122: `if remote_pubkey.0 == [0u8; 32] { return Err(crate::Error::Kex); }` The same X25519 scalar multiplication pattern appears in `hybrid_mlkem.rs`, but the fix was not applied there. ## Proof of Concept A malicious SSH client negotiating `mlkem768x25519-sha256` can send a KEX_HYBRID_INIT message containing a valid ML-KEM 7

Announced Source revision 1
Original source ↗

GHSA-w3jg-pjxf-73p4

Primary source · Revision 1

Imported from structured advisory data. Source references identify upstream records or fields; verify affected versions and your deployed configuration.

Security context

Source reference: osv:GHSA-w3jg-pjxf-73p4

russh

Source reference: /affected/0/package/name

Affected versions
Not stated in this record
Fixed versions
0.63.0

Source reference: /affected/0/ranges

Prerequisites
Not stated in this record

Structured affected-version data

Original package identities and version rules from this source.

[
  {
    "ranges": [
      {
        "type": "SEMVER",
        "events": [
          {
            "introduced": "0"
          },
          {
            "fixed": "0.63.0"
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "package": {
      "name": "russh",
      "purl": "pkg:cargo/russh",
      "ecosystem": "crates.io"
    },
    "database_specific": {
      "source": "https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2026/09/GHSA-w3jg-pjxf-73p4/GHSA-w3jg-pjxf-73p4.json"
    }
  }
]
Related CVEs
CVE-2026-102824

Source reference: /aliases

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Event
#51898 · Revision 1
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