CVE-2025-67809 in Collaboration Suite
Summary
by MITRE • 12/15/2025
An issue was discovered in Zimbra Collaboration (ZCS) 10.0 and 10.1. A hardcoded Flickr API key and secret are present in the publicly accessible Flickr Zimlet used by Zimbra Collaboration. Because these credentials are embedded directly in the Zimlet, any unauthorized party could retrieve them and misuse the Flickr integration. An attacker with access to the exposed credentials could impersonate the legitimate application and initiate valid Flickr OAuth flows. If a user is tricked into approving such a request, the attacker could gain access to the user s Flickr data. The hardcoded credentials have since been removed from the Zimlet code, and the associated key has been revoked.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2026
The vulnerability identified in Zimbra Collaboration versions 10.0 and 10.1 represents a critical security flaw involving hardcoded credentials within a publicly accessible component. This issue manifests through the inclusion of a Flickr API key and secret directly within the Flickr Zimlet, which serves as an integration module for Flickr services within the email platform. The presence of these credentials in the source code creates a persistent security risk that extends beyond typical configuration management failures, as the hardcoded values remain accessible to any party capable of examining the Zimlet files. This vulnerability directly violates fundamental security principles regarding credential management and demonstrates poor software development practices that have been documented in various security frameworks including the CWE-798 weakness classification for use of hard-coded credentials. The exposure occurs through the Zimlet's public accessibility, meaning that unauthorized parties can retrieve these credentials simply by accessing the relevant files without requiring any special privileges or advanced exploitation techniques.
The technical implications of this vulnerability extend beyond mere credential exposure, creating potential for sophisticated attack vectors that leverage the OAuth authentication mechanism. Attackers who obtain these hardcoded credentials can impersonate the legitimate Zimbra application within the Flickr ecosystem, enabling them to initiate valid OAuth flows that would otherwise be restricted to authorized applications. This capability allows for unauthorized access to user data through the Flickr integration, potentially compromising user privacy and enabling data exfiltration. The attack scenario becomes particularly dangerous when considering social engineering tactics that could trick users into approving unauthorized access requests, effectively creating a bridge between the compromised Zimbra system and the victim's Flickr account. The security implications align with ATT&CK technique T1566 for social engineering and T1531 for credential access through the exploitation of hardcoded credentials. The vulnerability's persistence is further exacerbated by the fact that these credentials remain valid until explicitly revoked, creating an extended window of opportunity for attackers to exploit the exposure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends significantly beyond immediate data compromise, affecting the overall trust and integrity of the Zimbra Collaboration platform. Organizations relying on Zimbra for email services face potential reputational damage when such credential exposure occurs, particularly when user data becomes accessible to unauthorized parties. The vulnerability undermines the security posture of the entire platform, as it demonstrates inadequate security controls in the software development lifecycle, specifically in credential management and code review processes. The fact that these credentials were embedded directly in the Zimlet code indicates a lack of proper security hardening practices, which should have been addressed through secure coding standards and automated security scanning tools. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of implementing proper credential management strategies, including the use of environment variables, secure configuration management systems, and regular security assessments that can identify such hardcoded credentials before they become exploitable. The subsequent removal of the credentials from the Zimlet code and revocation of the associated key represents a necessary remediation step that addresses the immediate exposure but does not eliminate the underlying security process failures that allowed such a vulnerability to exist in the first place.
The remediation efforts for this vulnerability demonstrate the importance of proper incident response and security patch management in enterprise environments. The revocation of the compromised API key and removal of hardcoded credentials from the Zimlet code represents a standard security response to credential exposure incidents, but the broader implications require organizations to implement more robust security controls to prevent similar occurrences. This vulnerability highlights the need for continuous security monitoring and automated scanning tools that can identify hardcoded credentials and other security misconfigurations in software components. Organizations should implement comprehensive security awareness training for developers regarding secure coding practices, particularly focusing on credential management and the avoidance of hardcoding sensitive information. The incident also underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing proper code review processes that include security scanning as part of the development lifecycle. The vulnerability's resolution through credential revocation and code modification serves as a critical lesson in the importance of proactive security measures rather than reactive remediation, particularly in enterprise collaboration platforms where user data security is paramount.