CVE-2025-54997: Github.com/openbao/openbao Privileged OpenBao Operator May Execute Vulnerability
CRITICALCVE-2025-54997 is a CRITICAL (CVSS 9.1) privileged openbao operator may execute vulnerability (CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')) affecting Github.com/openbao/openbao libraries in the Go ecosystem. The issue involves privileged openbao operator may execute code on the underlying host. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2.3.2, 0.0.0-20250806194004-a14053c9679d.
CVE-2025-54997 at a Glance
Security Impact
CVSS: 9.1
The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).
How to Fix CVE-2025-54997
To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Github.com/openbao/openbao dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.
Upgrade github.com/openbao/openbao to 2.3.2Upgrade github.com/openbao/openbao to 0.0.0-20250806194004-a14053c9679dRun the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:
inspect dependencies for github.com/openbao/openbaoHow to Check if You Are Affected
To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2025-54997, inspect your project dependencies for Github.com/openbao/openbao:
inspect dependencies for github.com/openbao/openbaoAnalyze the terminal output to locate any version of Github.com/openbao/openbao in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 2.3.2), your application is affected.
Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.
Technical Details
Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection'), where the product constructs all or part of a code segment using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the syntax or behavior of the intended code segment. In Github.com/openbao/openbao, 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
CVE-2025-54997 Affected Github.com/openbao/openbao Versions
2 component(s)| Product / Package | Ecosystem | Affected Versions | Fixed Version |
|---|---|---|---|
|
github.com/openbao/openbao
|
Go |
≥ 0.1.0
< 2.3.2
|
2.3.2
|
|
github.com/openbao/openbao
|
Go |
< 0.0.0-20250806194004-a14053c9679d
|
0.0.0-20250806194004-a14053c9679d
|
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2025-54997?
Which Github.com/openbao/openbao versions are affected?
What version fixes CVE-2025-54997?
Is github.com/openbao/openbao affected?
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2025-54997?
What CWE is associated with CVE-2025-54997?
How can I check Go dependencies for CVE-2025-54997?
Machine-readable OSV JSON
OSV v1.5 Schema
{
"schema_version" : "1.4.0",
"id" : "GHSA-xp75-r577-cvhp",
"modified" : "2025-08-11T13:56:30Z",
"published" : "2025-08-08T14:37:22Z",
"aliases" : [ "CVE-2025-54997" ],
"summary" : "Privileged OpenBao Operator May Execute Code on the Underlying Host",
"details" : "### Impact\n\nUnder 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.\n\n### Patches\n\nOpenBao v2.3.2 will patch this issue.\n\n### Workarounds\n\nUsers 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. \n\nThis 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.\n\n### References\n\nThis issue was disclosed to HashiCorp and is the OpenBao equivalent of the following tickets:\n\n- https://discuss.hashicorp.com/t/hcsec-2025-14-privileged-vault-operator-may-execute-code-on-the-underlying-host/76033\n- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-6000",
"severity" : [ {
"type" : "CVSS_V3",
"score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H"
} ],
"affected" : [ {
"package" : {
"ecosystem" : "Go",
"name" : "github.com/openbao/openbao"
},
"ranges" : [ {
"type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
"events" : [ {
"introduced" : "0.1.0"
}, {
"fixed" : "2.3.2"
} ]
} ]
}, {
"package" : {
"ecosystem" : "Go",
"name" : "github.com/openbao/openbao"
},
"ranges" : [ {
"type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
"events" : [ {
"introduced" : "0"
}, {
"fixed" : "0.0.0-20250806194004-a14053c9679d"
} ]
} ]
} ],
"references" : [ {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/openbao/openbao/security/advisories/GHSA-xp75-r577-cvhp"
}, {
"type" : "ADVISORY",
"url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-54997"
}, {
"type" : "ADVISORY",
"url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-6000"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/openbao/openbao/pull/1634"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/openbao/openbao/commit/a14053c9679d6e9cf370f00cf933476cda6d84a2"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://discuss.hashicorp.com/t/hcsec-2025-14-privileged-vault-operator-may-execute-code-on-the-underlying-host/76033"
}, {
"type" : "PACKAGE",
"url" : "https://github.com/openbao/openbao"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.3.2"
} ],
"database_specific" : {
"cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-94" ],
"severity" : "CRITICAL",
"github_reviewed" : true,
"github_reviewed_at" : "2025-08-08T14:37:22Z",
"nvd_published_at" : "2025-08-09T03:15:46Z"
}
}