CVE-2025-30474 in Commons VFS
Summary
by MITRE • 03/23/2025
Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor vulnerability in Apache Commons VFS.
The FtpFileObject class can throw an exception when a file is not found, revealing the original URI in its message, which may include a password. The fix is to mask the password in the exception message This issue affects Apache Commons VFS: before 2.10.0.
Users are recommended to upgrade to version 2.10.0, which fixes the issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/27/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-30474 represents a critical exposure of sensitive information through improper exception handling within the Apache Commons Virtual File System library. This flaw resides in the FtpFileObject class where file access operations can trigger exceptions containing the original URI with embedded credentials, creating a significant security risk for systems utilizing this library. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions prior to 2.10.0, making it a targeted concern for organizations maintaining older installations of the Apache Commons VFS component.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the FtpFileObject's failure to sanitize exception messages before propagation to calling applications. When a file operation fails due to non-existent resources, the underlying exception message construction process inadvertently preserves the complete URI string including authentication parameters. This design flaw directly violates security principles governing information exposure and represents a clear violation of CWE-209, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information through exception messages. The vulnerability creates a pathway for unauthorized actors to extract authentication credentials from exception logs, network traces, or error reporting systems where these messages might be exposed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential leakage, as it creates opportunities for attackers to harvest authentication tokens that could be used for further unauthorized access attempts. The exposure of passwords in exception messages provides attackers with immediate actionable intelligence for privilege escalation or lateral movement within network environments. Systems that log or display these exception messages become potential repositories for credential harvesting, particularly in environments where comprehensive logging practices capture stack traces containing the sensitive URI information. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers credential harvesting through various attack vectors, and specifically targets the information gathering phase of security breaches.
Organizations should prioritize upgrading to Apache Commons VFS version 2.10.0 or later to remediate this vulnerability, as this release implements proper credential masking within exception messages. The fix ensures that password components within URIs are stripped or obfuscated before exception messages are constructed, preventing unauthorized actors from extracting authentication information. Security teams should conduct thorough inventory assessments to identify all systems utilizing affected versions of the library, particularly those in production environments where exception logging might be enabled. Additionally, organizations should review their logging configurations to ensure that existing exception messages containing sensitive information are properly sanitized, implementing comprehensive monitoring for any unauthorized credential exposure patterns that might still occur in legacy systems.