In August 2002, OpenSSH's source code distribution was compromised when trojaned versions replaced the official releases on OpenBSD's FTP and CVS servers. The malicious code, discovered by Alexander Guy, contained a backdoor that would compile and execute network code connecting to a remote server. This serious security breach required immediate response from the OpenBSD development team in the middle of the night to contain the damage.
Background
OpenSSH is a widely used implementation of the SSH protocol for secure remote login and file transfer. In 2002, it was a critical piece of infrastructure for secure communications on the internet.
- Source
- Lobsters
- Published
- Jun 10, 2026 at 08:12 PM
- Score
- 8.0 / 10