CVE-2025-54997Network attack vector

Host code execution via attacker-controlled audit prefixes

Published Aug 9, 2025 · Updated Aug 11, 2025

Code injection in OpenBao 2.3.1 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to execute host code through the audit subsystem. The sys/audit/* subsystem accepts an attacker-controlled log prefix and directs audit devices to write to arbitrary files or network sockets. Privileged API access is required, and code execution depends on writable plugins or another process consuming the altered files.

CVSS severity9.1
Critical
EPSS probability0.37%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Code injection in OpenBao 2.3.1 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to execute host code through the audit subsystem. The sys/audit/* subsystem accepts an attacker-controlled log prefix and directs audit devices to write to arbitrary files or network sockets. Privileged API access is required, and code execution depends on writable plugins or another process consuming the altered files.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-54997
Published
Aug 9, 2025
Updated
Aug 11, 2025
Vendor
OpenBao
Product
OpenBao
Classifications
CWE-94, T1068
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 9, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 11, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 2.3.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

OpenBao · OpenBaoversion=< 2.3.2

Published CVSS scores

9.1GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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