Is CVE-2012-6066 actively exploited?

A proof-of-concept exploit is publicly available for CVE-2012-6066, but active exploitation has not been confirmed.

Can CVE-2012-6066 be exploited remotely?

Yes. CVE-2012-6066 is exploitable remotely over the network (CVSS attack vector: Network).

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2012-6066?

CVE-2012-6066 has a CVSS score of 9.3 (CRITICAL).

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CRITICALPOC

CVE-2012-6066

CWE-287Published: December 4, 2012· Updated: Jun 16, 2026

9.3

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

freeSSHd.exe in freeSSHd through 1.2.6 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication via a crafted session, as demonstrated by an OpenSSH client with modified versions of ssh.c and sshconnect2.c.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2012-6066 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

Exploitation requires some privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit exists for CVE-2012-6066. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-287): Authentication bypass vulnerabilities allow attackers to access protected resources without valid credentials.