# CVE-2025-54999: OpenBao: Timing Side-Channel in Userpass Auth Method

> Attackers can enumerate valid usernames in OpenBao's userpass auth method via timing side-channels, potentially aiding further attacks.

- **Severity:** Low 3.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 9 Aug 2025
- **Updated:** 11 Aug 2025
- **Also known as:** BIT-openbao-2025-54999, GHSA-hh28-h22f-8357, GO-2025-3854

## What is CVE-2025-54999?

CVE-2025-54999 is a low-severity vulnerability in openbao, published on 9 Aug 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

OpenBao exists to provide a software solution to manage, store, and distribute sensitive data including secrets, certificates, and keys. In versions 0.1.0 through 2.3.1, when using OpenBao's userpass auth method, user enumeration was possible due to timing difference between non-existent users and users with stored credentials. This is independent of whether the supplied credentials were valid for the given user. This issue was fixed in version 2.3.2. To work around this issue, users may use another auth method or apply rate limiting quotas to limit the number of requests in a period of time: https://openbao.org/api-docs/system/rate-limit-quotas/.

Weakness: CWE-203 (Observable Discrepancy)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-54999?

6 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/openbao/openbao and openbao. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/openbao/openbao` | Go | All versions | 0.0.0-20250806193356-4d9b5d3d6486 |
| `github.com/openbao/openbao` | Go | All versions | 0.0.0-20250806193356-4d9b5d3d6486 |
| `github.com/openbao/openbao` | Go | All versions | 0.0.0-20250806193356-4d9b5d3d6486 |
| `github.com/openbao/openbao` | Go | From 0.1.0 | 2.3.2 |
| `github.com/openbao/openbao` | Go | From 0.1.0 | 2.3.2 |
| `openbao` | Bitnami | All versions | 0.0.0-20250806193356-4d9b5d3d6486, 2.3.2 |

Products: Openbao Openbao.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-54999?

Upgrade github.com/openbao/openbao to a fixed version for your release line: 0.0.0-20250806193356-4d9b5d3d6486 or 2.3.2.

## Is CVE-2025-54999 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-54999 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in openbao

- [CVE-2026-33757](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-33757/): OpenBao lacks user confirmation for OIDC direct callback mode (critical 9.6)
- [CVE-2026-33758](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-33758/): OpenBao has Reflected XSS in its OIDC authentication error message (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2025-54997](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-54997/): OpenBao: Privileged Operator May Execute Code on the Underlying Host (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2025-64761](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-64761/): OpenBao Privileged Operator Identity Group Root Escalation (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2025-59043](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-59043/): OpenBao vulnerable to denial of service via malicious JSON request processing (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-54999 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-54999 is a low-severity vulnerability in openbao, published on 9 Aug 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-54999 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/openbao/openbao (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.0.0-20250806193356-4d9b5d3d6486
- github.com/openbao/openbao (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.0.0-20250806193356-4d9b5d3d6486
- github.com/openbao/openbao (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.0.0-20250806193356-4d9b5d3d6486
- github.com/openbao/openbao (Go): affected from 0.1.0; fixed in 2.3.2
- github.com/openbao/openbao (Go): affected from 0.1.0; fixed in 2.3.2
- openbao (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 0.0.0-20250806193356-4d9b5d3d6486, 2.3.2

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-54999/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-54999/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-54999
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-54999
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-54999

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-54999/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.