CVE-2025-55003: OpenBao Login MFA Bypasses Rate Limiting and TOTP Token Reuse
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 22/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.25% (FIRST EPSS).
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. A user must open a link or visit a page. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: openbao openbao 2.3.2.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to openbao openbao 2.3.2 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
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/.
- Published
- Aug 8, 2025
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.2% · 16th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-307
Report tools
Action score
22
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 22 / 40 · 5.7 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.2%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- partial
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- —
- CNA · GitHub_M
- 5.7
- NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| openbao | openbao | cpe:2.3:a:openbao:openbao |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- openbao openbaobefore 2.3.2
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (GitHub_M). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
openbao openbao
- < 2.3.2affected
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go | github.com/openbao/openbao | from 0.1.0 · before 2.3.2 | 2.3.2 |
| Go | github.com/openbao/openbao | from 0.1.0 | — |
| Go | github.com/openbao/openbao | before 0.0.0-20250807113757-8340a6918f6c | 0.0.0-20250807113757-8340a6918f6c |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | govulncheck-vulndb | before 0.0.20250811T192933-1.1 | 0.0.20250811T192933-1.1 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | openbao | before 2.3.2-1.1 | 2.3.2-1.1 |
Same product
openbao: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2026-33758OpenBao has Reflected XSS in its OIDC authentication error message37Monitor
- CVE-2026-63132OpenBao's Recovery Mode Vulnerable To Token Leakage via Timing Attack36Monitor
- CVE-2025-54997OpenBao: Privileged Operator May Execute Code on the Underlying Host36Monitor
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2025-55000Aug 8, 2025 · OpenBao TOTP Secrets Engine Enables Code Reuse26Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2025-55001Aug 8, 2025 · OpenBao LDAP MFA Enforcement Bypass When Using Username As Alias26Monitor
- Later →CVE-2025-59043Oct 17, 2025 · OpenBao vulnerable to denial of service via malicious JSON request processing30Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| openbao openbao | 2.3.2 · description | Vendor (CNA) |
| Go:github.com/openbao/openbao | 0.0.0-20250807113757-8340a6918f6c | Package registry (OSV) |
| Go:github.com/openbao/openbao | 2.3.2 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:govulncheck-vulndb | 0.0.20250811T192933-1.1 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:openbao | 2.3.2-1.1 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
- CVE-2025-549980 days apartOpenBao Userpass and LDAP User Lockout Bypass21Monitor
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- A user must open a link or visit a page.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- none
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- None
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-307 · Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication AttemptsCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
nvd-secondary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Dictionary-based Password AttackCAPEC-16likelihood: Medium · High
- Password Brute ForcingCAPEC-49likelihood: Medium · High
- Use of Known Domain CredentialsCAPEC-560likelihood: High · High
- Password SprayingCAPEC-565likelihood: High · High
- Credential StuffingCAPEC-600likelihood: High · High
- Use of Known Kerberos CredentialsCAPEC-652likelihood: Medium · High
- Use of Known Operating System CredentialsCAPEC-653likelihood: High · High
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (2 more)Show less
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.