VaulTLS: Weak Password Requirements
CVE-2025-55299 is a critical-severity weak password requirements vulnerability in VaulTLS from 7ritn, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.4 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected VaulTLS versions: < 0.9.1. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.25% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Check which version of VaulTLS 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.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
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
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- 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
- LowPerformance or availability is reduced.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L. Scored by CNA (github.com).
Official description
VaulTLS is a modern solution for managing mTLS (mutual TLS) certificates. Prior to 0.9.1, user accounts created through the User web UI have an empty but not NULL password set, attackers can use this to login with an empty password. This is combined with that fact, that previously disabling the password based login only effected the frontend, but still allowed login via the API. This vulnerability is fixed in 0.9.1.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Weak Password Requirements
The product does not require that users should have strong passwords.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Consider a second authentication factor beyond the password, which prevents the password from being a single point of failure. See CWE-308 for further information.
- Consider implementing a password complexity meter to inform users when a chosen password meets the required attributes.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent Weak Password Requirements vulnerabilities
- 7.4 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.1 High severity
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