CVE-2025-65998: Syncope core Apache Syncope's AES Encryption Stores Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-jqg8-m35q-jh7j
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CVSS 7.5
CWE-321
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2025-65998 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) apache syncope's aes encryption stores vulnerability (CWE-321: Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key) affecting Syncope core libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves apache syncope's aes encryption stores hard-coded passwords in internal database. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 4.0.3, 3.0.15.

CVE-2025-65998 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2025-65998
GHSA Identifier GHSA-jqg8-m35q-jh7j
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-321: Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key
Affected Product Syncope core
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.5

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2025-65998

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Syncope core dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

org.apache.syncope:syncope-core fixed: 4.0.3 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.syncope</groupId>
    <artifactId>syncope-core</artifactId>
    <version>4.0.3</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.syncope:syncope-core fixed: 3.0.15 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.syncope</groupId>
    <artifactId>syncope-core</artifactId>
    <version>3.0.15</version>
</dependency>
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.syncope

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2025-65998, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.syncope

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Syncope core in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 4.0.3), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.syncope command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-321: Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key, where the product uses a hard-coded, unchangeable cryptographic key. In Syncope core, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

Apache Syncope can be configured to store the user password values in the internal database with AES encryption, though this is not the default option. When AES is configured, the default key value, hard-coded in the source code, is always used. This allows a malicious attacker, once obtained access to the internal database content, to reconstruct the original cleartext password values. This is not affecting encrypted plain attributes, whose values are also stored using AES encryption. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 3.0.15 / 4.0.3, which fix this issue.

CVE-2025-65998 Affected Syncope core Versions

2 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
4.0.33.0.15
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.apache.syncope:syncope-core
maven/org.apache.syncope/syncope-core
Maven
≥ 4.0.0
< 4.0.3
4.0.3
org.apache.syncope:syncope-core
maven/org.apache.syncope/syncope-core
Maven
< 3.0.15
3.0.15

References

NVD — CVE-2025-65998 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-65998
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/apache/syncope/commit/297498ebfc86e4996f5e3e4ef7b7f8b1cd82004b
Syncope core Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/11/24/1
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/apache/syncope/commit/9d706af25d2e60327b8b5b63186f9da51ed79a1d
Syncope core Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/apache/syncope
lists.apache.org/thread/fjh0tb0d1xkb... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread/fjh0tb0d1xkbphc5ogdsc348ppz88cts

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-65998?
CVE-2025-65998 is a security vulnerability in Syncope core involving Apache Syncope's AES encryption stores hard-coded passwords in internal database under CWE-321: Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key.
Which Syncope core versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 4.0.3, 3.0.15 across affected packages: org.apache.syncope:syncope-core.
What version fixes CVE-2025-65998?
Upgrading to 4.0.3, 3.0.15 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is syncope-core affected?
Yes, org.apache.syncope:syncope-core is affected in releases prior to 4.0.3, 3.0.15. Upgrade your dependency to 4.0.3, 3.0.15 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2025-65998?
CVE-2025-65998 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2025-65998?
CVE-2025-65998 is classified under CWE-321: Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key (The product uses a hard-coded, unchangeable cryptographic key.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2025-65998?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.syncope'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-jqg8-m35q-jh7j",
  "modified" : "2025-11-25T14:14:13Z",
  "published" : "2025-11-24T15:30:29Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2025-65998" ],
  "summary" : "Apache Syncope's AES encryption stores hard-coded passwords in internal database",
  "details" : "Apache Syncope can be configured to store the user password values in the internal database with AES encryption, though this is not the default option.\n\nWhen AES is configured, the default key value, hard-coded in the source code, is always used. This allows a malicious attacker, once obtained access to the internal database content, to reconstruct the original cleartext password values.\nThis is not affecting encrypted plain attributes, whose values are also stored using AES encryption.\n\nUsers are recommended to upgrade to version 3.0.15 / 4.0.3, which fix this issue.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
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      "name" : "org.apache.syncope:syncope-core"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
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      "events" : [ {
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    } ]
  }, {
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    "ranges" : [ {
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      }, {
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    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-65998"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/syncope/commit/297498ebfc86e4996f5e3e4ef7b7f8b1cd82004b"
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    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/syncope/commit/9d706af25d2e60327b8b5b63186f9da51ed79a1d"
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    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/syncope"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread/fjh0tb0d1xkbphc5ogdsc348ppz88cts"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/11/24/1"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-321" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2025-11-25T14:14:13Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2025-11-24T14:15:48Z"
  }
}