CVE-2025-2322: Springboot-openai-chatgpt Auth Bypass Flaw

CVE-2025-2322 Overview

A critical hard-coded credentials vulnerability has been identified in 274056675 springboot-openai-chatgpt (commit e84f6f5). This vulnerability affects the file /chatgpt-boot/src/main/java/org/springblade/modules/mjkj/controller/OpenController.java and allows remote attackers to exploit embedded credentials to gain unauthorized access to the application.

Critical Impact

Hard-coded credentials in the OpenController.java file can be exploited remotely, potentially allowing attackers to bypass authentication and gain unauthorized access to the chatgpt application and its integrated OpenAI services.

Affected Products

• 274056675 springboot-openai-chatgpt (commit e84f6f5)
• springboot-openai-chatgpt (build 2024-12-29)

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-03-15 - CVE-2025-2322 published to NVD
• 2025-10-24 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-2322

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability stems from the insecure practice of embedding credentials directly within the application source code. The affected component, OpenController.java, contains hard-coded authentication credentials that can be discovered by attackers through source code review or reverse engineering. Since this is an open-source project, the credentials are publicly accessible in the repository.

The vulnerability enables remote attackers to authenticate to the application without needing to discover valid credentials through other means. This is particularly concerning for applications that integrate with OpenAI services, as compromised credentials could lead to unauthorized API usage, data exposure, or service abuse.

Root Cause

The root cause is classified as CWE-259 (Use of Hard-coded Password). The developer embedded static credentials directly in the OpenController.java file rather than implementing proper credential management through environment variables, secure vaults, or external configuration files. This violates secure coding practices and the principle of separation between code and configuration.

Attack Vector

The vulnerability is exploitable over the network without requiring authentication or user interaction. An attacker can:

1. Access the public GitHub repository containing the source code
2. Locate the hard-coded credentials in OpenController.java
3. Use these credentials to authenticate remotely to deployed instances of the application
4. Gain unauthorized access to application functionality and potentially connected OpenAI services

Since the exploit details have been publicly disclosed, any deployed instance using the vulnerable commit is at immediate risk. The attack requires no special privileges and can be automated against multiple targets.

The vulnerability allows low-impact compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Attackers with the hard-coded credentials may access protected resources, modify application data, or disrupt service availability.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-2322

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected authentication events using default or known hard-coded credentials
• Access to the application from unusual IP addresses or geographic locations
• Anomalous API calls to OpenAI services that don't match normal usage patterns
• Authentication logs showing successful logins without corresponding user activity

Detection Strategies

• Review source code and configuration files for hard-coded credentials using static analysis tools
• Monitor authentication logs for use of known default credentials
• Implement alerting on authentication attempts from unexpected sources
• Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect credential stuffing attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive logging for all authentication events in the application
• Set up alerts for multiple failed authentication attempts followed by success
• Monitor OpenAI API usage for abnormal patterns that may indicate compromised credentials
• Implement anomaly detection on application access patterns

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-2322

Immediate Actions Required

• Immediately rotate any credentials that may have been exposed in the affected code
• Remove hard-coded credentials from the source code and replace with secure alternatives
• Audit deployed instances to identify any unauthorized access using compromised credentials
• Consider temporarily restricting access to the application until credentials are rotated

Patch Information

The vendor (274056675) was contacted about this vulnerability but did not respond. This product does not use versioning, making it difficult to identify specific affected and unaffected releases. Organizations using this software should:

1. Fork the repository and implement their own fix
2. Replace hard-coded credentials with environment variables or a secrets management solution
3. Monitor the original repository for any future security updates

For technical details on this vulnerability, refer to the VulDB entry and the CNBlogs security analysis.

Workarounds

• Store credentials in environment variables instead of source code
• Use a secrets management solution such as HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager, or Azure Key Vault
• Implement credential rotation policies to minimize exposure window
• Deploy network segmentation to limit access to the application from trusted sources only

# Configuration example - Use environment variables instead of hard-coded credentials
# In your application startup script or deployment configuration:
export CHATGPT_API_KEY="${SECURE_API_KEY_FROM_VAULT}"
export CHATGPT_AUTH_TOKEN="${SECURE_AUTH_TOKEN_FROM_VAULT}"

# In your Spring Boot application.properties or application.yml:
# openai.api.key=${CHATGPT_API_KEY}
# auth.token=${CHATGPT_AUTH_TOKEN}