CVE-2025-54876 in jans
Summary
by MITRE • 08/06/2025
The Janssen Project is an open-source identity and access management (IAM) platform. In versions 1.9.0 and below, Janssen stores passwords in plaintext in the local cli_cmd.log file. This is fixed in the nightly prerelease.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/06/2025
The Janssen Project represents a comprehensive identity and access management platform that serves as a critical component in modern digital infrastructure, providing authentication and authorization services for enterprise environments. This open-source solution has gained significant traction among organizations seeking robust IAM capabilities, making its security posture paramount to overall system integrity. The platform's architecture includes various components that handle sensitive authentication data, with the cli_cmd.log file serving as one of the primary logging mechanisms for command-line operations within the system.
The vulnerability identified in versions 1.9.0 and below stems from a critical design flaw in the platform's logging mechanism where password credentials are stored in plaintext format within the cli_cmd.log file. This represents a fundamental failure in secure logging practices and violates established security principles for handling sensitive information. The plaintext storage of passwords creates an immediate and severe risk for any system where this logging mechanism is enabled, as anyone with access to the log file can directly extract authentication credentials without requiring additional cryptographic attacks or exploitation techniques. This flaw directly maps to CWE-312, which specifically addresses the exposure of sensitive information through improper logging practices, and constitutes a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in information security.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple credential exposure, as it fundamentally undermines the security model of the entire Janssen platform. Attackers who gain access to the cli_cmd.log file can immediately leverage the extracted passwords for unauthorized access to system resources, potentially escalating their privileges and moving laterally within the network. This vulnerability affects the confidentiality and integrity of the system, as it allows for unauthorized data access and potential system compromise. The risk is particularly severe in enterprise environments where the Janssen platform may be used for critical authentication services, as compromised credentials can lead to widespread unauthorized access across multiple systems. The vulnerability also impacts the platform's compliance with industry standards such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO/IEC 27001, which mandate proper handling of sensitive information and secure logging practices.
Organizations utilizing Janssen versions 1.9.0 or earlier should immediately implement mitigations to address this vulnerability, including disabling or restricting access to the cli_cmd.log file, implementing proper file permissions, and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts. The recommended solution involves upgrading to the nightly prerelease version where the fix has been implemented, which likely includes secure logging mechanisms that encrypt or obfuscate sensitive information before storage. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive audits of their logging configurations and implement automated monitoring for suspicious file access patterns. The fix addresses the underlying ATT&CK technique T1562.006, which focuses on credential dumping and the exploitation of insecure logging mechanisms to extract authentication information. Organizations should also consider implementing additional controls such as regular log file integrity checks, access logging for sensitive files, and network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the upgrade does not introduce compatibility issues while maintaining the platform's core functionality and security posture.