FreshRSS: Improper Authentication
CVE-2025-68402 is a high-severity improper authentication vulnerability in FreshRSS, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.2 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected FreshRSS versions: < 476e57b04646416e24e24c56133c9fadf9e52b95. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.3% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of FreshRSS 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
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| FreshRSS | FreshRSS | < 476e57b04646416e24e24c56133c9fadf9e52b95 | 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
- HighSuccess depends on conditions outside the attacker's control.
- Attack requirements
- NoneThe attack does not depend on a particular deployment or configuration.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
- Integrity (vulnerable system)
- NoneNo loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
- Availability (vulnerable system)
- NoneNo loss of availability on the vulnerable system.
- Confidentiality (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of confidentiality on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Integrity (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of integrity on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Availability (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of availability on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X. Scored by CNA (github.com).
Official description
FreshRSS is a free, self-hostable RSS aggregator. From 57e1a37 - 00f2f04, the lengths of the nonce was changed from 40 chars to 64. password_verify() is currently being called with a constructed string (SHA-256 nonce + part of a bcrypt hash) instead of the raw user password. Due to bcrypt’s 72-byte input truncation, this causes password verification to succeed even when the user enters an incorrect password. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.27.2-dev (476e57b). The issue was only present in the edge branch and never in a stable release.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Authentication
When an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use an authentication framework or library such as the OWASP ESAPI Authentication feature.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Other vulnerabilities in FreshRSS
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
Recent Improper Authentication vulnerabilities
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.0 Critical severity
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