CVE-2025-13807 Overview
CVE-2025-13807 is an improper authorization vulnerability affecting orionsec orion-ops up to commit 5925824997a3109651bbde07460958a7be249ed1. The vulnerability exists in the MachineKeyController function within the file orion-ops-api/orion-ops-web/src/main/java/cn/orionsec/ops/controller/MachineKeyController.java of the API component. This security flaw allows remote attackers to bypass authorization controls, potentially leading to information disclosure.
The vulnerability is classified under CWE-266 (Incorrect Privilege Assignment), indicating that the application fails to properly enforce authorization checks, allowing users to access resources or functionality beyond their intended privileges. An exploit has been publicly disclosed, and the vendor was contacted but did not respond.
Critical Impact
Remote attackers with low privileges can exploit improper authorization controls in the MachineKeyController API endpoint to gain unauthorized access to sensitive machine key information, potentially compromising infrastructure credentials and enabling lateral movement.
Affected Products
- orionsec orion-ops (up to commit 5925824997a3109651bbde07460958a7be249ed1)
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-12-01 - CVE-2025-13807 published to NVD
- 2025-12-04 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-13807
Vulnerability Analysis
The improper authorization vulnerability in CVE-2025-13807 affects the MachineKeyController class in the orion-ops API component. This Java-based controller handles API requests related to machine keys, which are typically used for SSH authentication and infrastructure management within the orion-ops operations platform.
The vulnerability carries a CVSS 4.0 score of 5.3 (Medium) with the following vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P/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
Key attack characteristics include:
- Attack Vector: Network-based exploitation
- Attack Complexity: Low - no special conditions required
- Privileges Required: Low - authenticated users can exploit this
- User Interaction: None required
- Confidentiality Impact: Low - potential information disclosure
The EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) indicates a probability of 0.031% with a percentile ranking of 8.39, suggesting relatively low exploitation likelihood in the wild despite the public exploit availability.
Root Cause
The root cause of CVE-2025-13807 is the incorrect privilege assignment (CWE-266) within the MachineKeyController class. The controller fails to properly validate that the requesting user has appropriate authorization to access machine key resources. This represents a broken access control vulnerability where authorization checks are either missing, incomplete, or improperly implemented.
The affected endpoint in orion-ops-api/orion-ops-web/src/main/java/cn/orionsec/ops/controller/MachineKeyController.java does not adequately verify user permissions before returning sensitive machine key data, allowing lower-privileged users to access resources that should be restricted.
Attack Vector
The attack can be executed remotely over the network by an authenticated user with low privileges. The exploitation path involves:
- An attacker authenticates to the orion-ops application with a low-privilege account
- The attacker sends crafted API requests to the MachineKeyController endpoints
- Due to improper authorization checks, the API returns machine key information that should be restricted
- The attacker can use the disclosed information to potentially access managed infrastructure or escalate privileges
The vulnerability mechanism involves improper authorization validation in the MachineKeyController API endpoints. Authenticated users with insufficient privileges can access machine key data by directly calling the affected API endpoints. For detailed technical information and proof-of-concept, refer to the security report.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-13807
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusual API requests to /api/machine-key or related MachineKeyController endpoints from unauthorized users
- Access logs showing machine key data retrieval by users without administrative privileges
- Multiple failed or successful authorization attempts followed by data access patterns
- Anomalous user activity patterns indicating horizontal privilege escalation attempts
Detection Strategies
Log Analysis:
Monitor application logs for requests to the MachineKeyController API endpoints. Look for patterns where non-administrative users are successfully retrieving machine key information. Enable verbose logging on the orion-ops API to capture authorization decision details.
Network Traffic Monitoring:
Implement network-based detection to identify API calls targeting machine key endpoints. SentinelOne's network visibility capabilities can detect suspicious API access patterns and alert on potential exploitation attempts.
Behavioral Analysis:
Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for unusual access patterns. SentinelOne Singularity Platform provides behavioral AI that can identify anomalous user activity indicative of authorization bypass attempts.
Monitoring Recommendations
Organizations running orion-ops should implement the following monitoring controls:
- Enable comprehensive API logging for all MachineKeyController endpoints
- Configure SIEM alerts for unauthorized access attempts to machine key resources
- Deploy SentinelOne agents on systems running orion-ops to leverage real-time threat detection
- Implement user activity monitoring to detect privilege escalation patterns
- Review access control lists regularly to ensure proper authorization configurations
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-13807
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict network access to the orion-ops API endpoints, limiting exposure to trusted networks only
- Review user permissions and remove unnecessary access to machine key functionality
- Implement additional authorization controls at the network layer (WAF, API gateway)
- Monitor for exploitation attempts using the detection strategies outlined above
- Contact the vendor for patch availability or consider alternative solutions
Patch Information
As of the last update on 2025-12-04, no official vendor patch has been released. The vendor (orionsec) was contacted during the responsible disclosure process but did not respond. Organizations should monitor the official orion-ops repository for security updates and consider the following resources:
Workarounds
Until an official patch is available, organizations should implement the following compensating controls:
Network Segmentation:
Isolate orion-ops instances behind a firewall and restrict API access to only authorized administrative networks.
Additional Authorization Layer:
Implement a reverse proxy or API gateway that enforces strict authorization checks before requests reach the MachineKeyController endpoints.
# Example: Restrict access to machine key endpoints via nginx reverse proxy
location /api/machine-key {
# Allow only from trusted admin network
allow 10.0.1.0/24;
deny all;
# Require additional authentication header
if ($http_x_admin_auth = "") {
return 403;
}
proxy_pass http://orion-ops-backend;
}
Access Control Hardening:
Review and tighten role-based access controls within orion-ops. Ensure machine key access is restricted to only administrator-level accounts and audit all existing user permissions.
Consider Alternative Solutions:
Given the lack of vendor response, organizations with critical security requirements may need to evaluate alternative operations management platforms until the vendor addresses this vulnerability.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
