vaultwarden: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component
CVE-2025-24364 is a high-severity improper neutralization of special elements in output used by a downstream component vulnerability in vaultwarden from Dani-garcia, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.2 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with administrator privileges, without any action from a user. Affected vaultwarden versions: < 1.33.0. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 63% of scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of vaultwarden you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dani-garcia | vaultwarden | < 1.33.0 | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- HighAdministrator-level access is required first.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (github.com).
Official description
vaultwarden is an unofficial Bitwarden compatible server written in Rust, formerly known as bitwarden_rs. Attacker with authenticated access to the vaultwarden admin panel can execute arbitrary code in the system. The attacker could then change some settings to use sendmail as mail agent but adjust the settings in such a way that it would use a shell command. It then also needed to craft a special favicon image which would have the commands embedded to run during for example sending a test email. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.33.0.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component
The product constructs all or part of a command, data structure, or record using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify how it is parsed or interpreted when it is sent to a downstream component.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Programming languages and supporting technologies might be chosen which are not subject to these issues.
- Utilize an appropriate mix of allowlist and denylist parsing to filter control-plane syntax from all input.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Other vulnerabilities in vaultwarden
- 8.1 High severity
- 7.7 High severity
- 8.3 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 8.7 High severity
Recent Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
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