# CVE-2025-62349: Salt Master authentication protocol downgrade may enable minion impersonation

> A malicious minion can impersonate others by downgrading the authentication protocol, bypassing security features in Salt Master.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 30 Jan 2026
- **Updated:** 26 Feb 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vcf3-26xf-fw4m, PYSEC-2026-1902

## What is CVE-2025-62349?

CVE-2025-62349 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Salt, published on 30 Jan 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Salt contains an authentication protocol version downgrade weakness that can allow a malicious minion to bypass newer authentication/security features by using an older request payload format, enabling minion impersonation and circumventing protections introduced in response to prior issues.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-62349?

5 open source packages ship an affected version, including salt.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `salt` | PyPI | From 3006.12 | 3006.17, 3007.9 |
| `salt` | PyPI | From 3006.12 | 3006.17 |
| `salt` | PyPI | From 3006.12 | 3006.17 |
| `salt` | PyPI | From 3007.4 | 3007.9 |
| `salt` | PyPI | From 3007.4 | 3007.9 |

## How do I fix CVE-2025-62349?

Upgrade salt to a fixed version for your release line: 3006.17 or 3007.9.

## Is CVE-2025-62349 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-62349 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-62349 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-62349 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Salt, published on 30 Jan 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-62349 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- salt (PyPI): affected from 3006.12; fixed in 3006.17, 3007.9
- salt (PyPI): affected from 3006.12; fixed in 3006.17
- salt (PyPI): affected from 3006.12; fixed in 3006.17
- salt (PyPI): affected from 3007.4; fixed in 3007.9
- salt (PyPI): affected from 3007.4; fixed in 3007.9

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-2025-62349/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-62349/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-62349
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-62349
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-62349

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-62349/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.