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Apache Syncope's AES encryption stores hard-coded passwords in internal database

High severity GitHub Reviewed Published Nov 24, 2025 to the GitHub Advisory Database • Updated Nov 25, 2025

Package

maven org.apache.syncope:syncope-core (Maven)

Affected versions

>= 4.0.0, < 4.0.3
< 3.0.15

Patched versions

4.0.3
3.0.15

Description

Apache Syncope can be configured to store the user password values in the internal database with AES encryption, though this is not the default option.

When AES is configured, the default key value, hard-coded in the source code, is always used. This allows a malicious attacker, once obtained access to the internal database content, to reconstruct the original cleartext password values.
This is not affecting encrypted plain attributes, whose values are also stored using AES encryption.

Users are recommended to upgrade to version 3.0.15 / 4.0.3, which fix this issue.

References

Published by the National Vulnerability Database Nov 24, 2025
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Nov 24, 2025
Reviewed Nov 25, 2025
Last updated Nov 25, 2025

Severity

High

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

EPSS score

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

This score estimates the probability of this vulnerability being exploited within the next 30 days. Data provided by FIRST.
(21st percentile)

Weaknesses

Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key

The product uses a hard-coded, unchangeable cryptographic key. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2025-65998

GHSA ID

GHSA-jqg8-m35q-jh7j

Source code

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