CVE-2025-55003
CVE-2025-55003 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Openbao with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.7. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-307.
Key facts
- Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.7)
- EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (8th percentile)
- Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
- EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2025-24032
- Weakness: CWE-307
- Affected product: Openbao
- Published:
- Last modified:
Description
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, OpenBao's Login Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) system allows enforcing MFA using Time-based One Time Password (TOTP). Due to normalization applied by the underlying TOTP library, codes were accepted which could contain whitespace; this whitespace could bypass internal rate limiting of the MFA method and allow reuse of existing MFA codes. This issue was fixed in version 2.3.2. To work around this, use of rate-limiting quotas can limit an attacker's ability to exploit this: https://openbao.org/api-docs/system/rate-limit-quotas/.
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2025-55003?
- 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, OpenBao's Login Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) system allows enforcing MFA using Time-based One Time Password (TOTP). Due to normalization applied by the underlying TOTP library, codes were accepted which could contain whitespace; this whitespace could bypass internal rate limiting of the MFA method and allow reuse of existing MFA codes. This issue was fixed in version 2.3.2. To work around this, use of rate-limiting quotas can limit an attacker's ability to exploit this: https://openbao.org/api-docs/system/rate-limit-quotas/.
- How severe is CVE-2025-55003?
- CVE-2025-55003 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.7, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.
- Is CVE-2025-55003 being actively exploited?
- It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (8th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- What products are affected by CVE-2025-55003?
- CVE-2025-55003 affects Openbao. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
- How do I fix CVE-2025-55003?
- Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
- Does CVE-2025-55003 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
- Yes. CVE-2025-55003 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2025-24032.
- When was CVE-2025-55003 published?
- CVE-2025-55003 was published on 2025-08-09 and last updated on 2026-06-17.
References
- https://discuss.hashicorp.com/t/hcsec-2025-19-vault-login-mfa-bypass-of-rate-limiting-and-totp-token-reuse/76038
- https://github.com/openbao/openbao/commit/8340a6918f6c41d8f75b6c3845c376d9dc32ed19
- https://github.com/openbao/openbao/security/advisories/GHSA-rxp7-9q75-vj3p
Affected products (1)
- cpe:2.3:a:openbao:openbao:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
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