CVE-2025-52893: OpenBao May Leak Sensitive Information in Logs When Processing Malformed Data
Impact
OpenBao before v2.3.0 and HashiCorp Vault as of the current v1.19.5 may leak sensitive information in logs when processing malformed data. This is separate from the earlier HCSEC-2025-09 / CVE-2025-4166.
Patches
This issue has been fixed in OpenBao v2.3.0 and later.
Workarounds
Like with HCSEC-2025-09, there is no known workaround except to ensure properly formatted requests from all clients.
Remediation
Users with the capability to search through server and audit logs for any possible exposed secrets can refer to the following snippets to aid in searching:
Audit Log
... "error":"error converting input for field \"password\": expected type 'string', got unconvertible type 'map[string]interface {}', value: '<sensitive data>'" ...
Server Log
error converting input for field "password": expected type 'string', got unconvertible type 'map[string]interface {}', value: '<sensitive data>'
If any matches are found, rotating the affected secret is advised.
References
See also: https://discuss.hashicorp.com/t/hcsec-2025-09-vault-may-expose-sensitive-information-in-error-logs-when-processing-malformed-data-with-the-kv-v2-plugin/74717
See also: https://github.com/go-viper/mapstructure/releases/tag/v2.3.0
See also: https://github.com/go-viper/mapstructure/pull/105 -> https://github.com/go-viper/mapstructure/commit/ed3f92181528ff776a0324107b8b55026e93766a
Other sources
OpenBao exists to provide a software solution to manage, store, and distribute sensitive data including secrets, certificates, and keys. OpenBao before v2.3.0 may leak sensitive information in logs when processing malformed data. This is separate from the earlier HCSEC-2025-09 / CVE-2025-4166. This issue has been fixed in OpenBao v2.3.0 and later. Like with HCSEC-2025-09, there is no known workaround except to ensure properly formatted requests from all clients.
— MITRE
Affected Software
Remediation
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2025-52893?
CVE-2025-52893 is classified as a moderate severity vulnerability due to the potential leakage of sensitive information.
How do I fix CVE-2025-52893?
To fix CVE-2025-52893, upgrade OpenBao to version 2.3.0 or later.
What types of information may be leaked due to CVE-2025-52893?
CVE-2025-52893 may leak sensitive information such as secrets, certificates, and keys in logs.
Which versions of OpenBao are affected by CVE-2025-52893?
CVE-2025-52893 affects all versions of OpenBao prior to 2.3.0.
What is the impact of CVE-2025-52893?
The impact of CVE-2025-52893 is that it may expose sensitive data to unauthorized access through log files.