CVE-2025-54997: OpenBao: Privileged Operator May Execute Code on the Underlying Host
Impact
Under certain threat models, OpenBao operators with privileged API access may not be system administrators and thus normally lack the ability to update binaries or execute code on the system. Additionally, privileged API operators should be unable to perform TCP connections to arbitrary hosts in the environment OpenBao is executing within. The API-driven audit subsystem granted privileged API operators the ability to do both with an attacker-controlled log prefix. Access to these endpoints should be restricted.
Patches
OpenBao v2.3.2 will patch this issue.
Workarounds
Users may deny all access to the sys/audit/ interface (with create and update) permission via policies with explicit deny grants. This would not restrict root level operators, however, for whom there are no workarounds.
This interface allowed arbitrary filesystem and network (write) access as the user the OpenBao server was running as; in conjunction with allowing custom plugins or other system processes this may enable code execution.
References
This issue was disclosed to HashiCorp and is the OpenBao equivalent of the following tickets:
- https://discuss.hashicorp.com/t/hcsec-2025-14-privileged-vault-operator-may-execute-code-on-the-underlying-host/76033 - https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-6000
Other sources
OpenBao exists to provide a software solution to manage, store, and distribute sensitive data including secrets, certificates, and keys. In versions 2.3.1 and below, some OpenBao deployments intentionally limit privileged API operators from executing system code or making network connections. However, these operators can bypass both restrictions through the audit subsystem by manipulating log prefixes. This allows unauthorized code execution and network access that violates the intended security model. This issue is fixed in version 2.3.2. To workaround, users can block access to sys/audit/ endpoints using explicit deny policies, but root operators cannot be restricted this way.
— MITRE
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2025-54997?
CVE-2025-54997 is classified as a moderate severity vulnerability due to the potential for privileged API access misuse.
How do I fix CVE-2025-54997?
To mitigate CVE-2025-54997, upgrade to the latest remedied version of OpenBao, specifically version 0.0.0-20250806194004-a14053c9679d or 2.3.2.
Who is affected by CVE-2025-54997?
CVE-2025-54997 affects OpenBao instances where privileged API operators lack necessary limitations on their access.
What are the potential impacts of CVE-2025-54997?
An attacker exploiting CVE-2025-54997 could gain unauthorized access or control over systems that depend on OpenBao.
When was CVE-2025-54997 disclosed?
CVE-2025-54997 was disclosed in 2025 and is related to vulnerabilities found in specific versions of OpenBao.