Openbao: >> Openbao >> 2.4.0 Security Vulnerabilities
OpenBao is an open source identity-based secrets management system. Prior to version 2.5.2, OpenBao does not prompt for user confirmation when logging in via JWT/OIDC and a role with `callback_mode` set to `direct`. This allows an attacker to start an authentication request and perform "remote phishing" by having the victim visit the URL and automatically log-in to the session of the attacker. Despite being based on the authorization code flow, the `direct` mode calls back directly to the API and allows an attacker to poll for an OpenBao token until it is issued. Version 2.5.2 includes an additional confirmation screen for `direct` type logins that requires manual user interaction in order to finish the authentication. This issue can be worked around either by removing any roles with `callback_mode=direct` or enforcing confirmation for every session on the token issuer side for the Client ID used by OpenBao.
CVSS Score
9.6
EPSS Score
0.001
Published
2026-03-27
OpenBao is an open source identity-based secrets management system. Prior to version 2.5.2, OpenBao installations that have an OIDC/JWT authentication method enabled and a role with `callback_mode=direct` configured are vulnerable to XSS via the `error_description` parameter on the page for a failed authentication. This allows an attacker access to the token used in the Web UI by a victim. The `error_description` parameter has been replaced with a static error message in v2.5.2. The vulnerability can be mitigated by removing any roles with `callback_mode` set to `direct`.
CVSS Score
9.4
EPSS Score
0.001
Published
2026-03-27
OpenBao is an open source identity-based secrets management system. Prior to version 2.4.4, a privileged operator could use the identity group subsystem to add a root policy to a group identity group, escalating their or another user's permissions in the system. Specifically this is an issue when: an operator in the root namespace has access to identity/groups endpoints and an operator does not have policy access. Otherwise, an operator with policy access could create or modify an existing policy to grant root-equivalent permissions through the sudo capability. This issue has been patched in version 2.4.4.
CVSS Score
7.5
EPSS Score
0.001
Published
2025-11-25
OpenBao is an open source identity-based secrets management system. Prior to version 2.4.2, OpenBao's audit log did not appropriately redact fields when relevant subsystems sent []byte response parameters rather than strings. This includes, but is not limited to sys/raw with use of encoding=base64, all data would be emitted unredacted to the audit log, and Transit, when performing a signing operation with a derived Ed25519 key, would emit public keys to the audit log. This issue has been patched in OpenBao 2.4.2.
CVSS Score
5.7
EPSS Score
0.0
Published
2025-10-22
OpenBao is an open source identity-based secrets management system. In versions 2.2.0 to 2.4.1, OpenBao's audit log experienced a regression wherein raw HTTP bodies used by few endpoints were not correctly redacted (HMAC'd). This impacts those using the ACME functionality of PKI, resulting in short-lived ACME verification challenge codes being leaked in the audit logs. Additionally, this impacts those using the OIDC issuer functionality of the identity subsystem, auth and token response codes along with claims could be leaked in the audit logs. ACME verification codes are not usable after verification or challenge expiry so are of limited long-term use. This issue has been patched in OpenBao 2.4.2.
CVSS Score
5.7
EPSS Score
0.0
Published
2025-10-22
OpenBao is an open source identity-based secrets management system. In OpenBao versions prior to 2.4.1, JSON objects after decoding may use significantly more memory than their serialized version. It is possible to craft a JSON payload to maximize the factor between serialized memory usage and deserialized memory usage, similar to a zip bomb, with factors reaching approximately 35. This can be used to circumvent the max_request_size configuration parameter which is intended to protect against denial of service attacks. The request body is parsed into a map very early in the request handling chain before authentication, which means an unauthenticated attacker can send a specifically crafted JSON object and cause an out-of-memory crash. Additionally, for requests with large numbers of strings, the audit subsystem can consume large quantities of CPU. The vulnerability is fixed in version 2.4.1.
CVSS Score
7.5
EPSS Score
0.002
Published
2025-10-17