CVE-2025-49830 Overview
CVE-2025-49830 affects CyberArk Conjur, a secrets management and application identity platform for infrastructure. An authenticated attacker with policy loading privileges can abuse the policy YAML parser to reference arbitrary files on the Conjur server. The flaw enables reconnaissance of the server filesystem and inclusion of server-side files in the parsed policy content. The vulnerability is classified as a path traversal issue [CWE-22] and impacts both the Self-Hosted (formerly Conjur Enterprise) and open-source distributions.
Critical Impact
An authenticated attacker can enumerate the Conjur server filesystem and leak file contents through the YAML policy parser, exposing sensitive configuration and operational data.
Affected Products
- CyberArk Secrets Manager, Self-Hosted (formerly Conjur Enterprise) prior to 13.5.1
- CyberArk Secrets Manager, Self-Hosted prior to 13.6.1
- Conjur OSS prior to 1.22.1
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-07-15 - CVE-2025-49830 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-49830
Vulnerability Analysis
Conjur accepts policy definitions written in YAML to describe roles, resources, and permissions. The YAML parser used during policy loading supports constructs that reference external files on the Conjur server itself. An authenticated user who can submit a policy document can craft directives that cause the parser to resolve server-side file paths. The parser then returns reconnaissance signals about directory structure or embeds file content into the processed policy stream.
This behavior allows attackers to map internal filesystem layout, identify configuration files, and in some cases retrieve content from readable files accessible to the Conjur process. Because Conjur stores and brokers application secrets, any filesystem exposure on the server can indirectly weaken the confidentiality guarantees of the secrets management platform.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper restriction of file path references within the policy YAML parser [CWE-22]. The parser does not sufficiently constrain or sanitize file inclusion directives passed through policy input, treating them as trusted content rather than untrusted user data.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires network access to the Conjur API and authenticated credentials with policy load permissions. The attacker submits a crafted YAML policy that references files outside the intended policy scope. The server-side parser processes those references, revealing directory structure or embedding file contents. No user interaction is required beyond the attacker's own authenticated session. See the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-7m6h-fqrm-m9c5 for the vendor description.
No public proof-of-concept exploit code is available at this time. The vulnerability is described in prose only; refer to the vendor advisory for the authoritative technical description.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-49830
Indicators of Compromise
- Policy load API requests (POST /policies/...) containing YAML content with file reference directives or unusual path patterns referencing absolute filesystem locations.
- Conjur application logs showing parser errors or file-not-found events during policy loading operations.
- Unexpected file-read system calls originating from the Conjur server process targeting paths outside standard application directories.
Detection Strategies
- Enable verbose audit logging on the Conjur policy service and correlate policy load events with the authenticated principal and payload size.
- Review policy submissions for YAML tags or constructs that reference local file paths, especially submissions from accounts that do not typically author policies.
- Baseline normal policy content and alert on YAML documents that deviate significantly in structure or include unusual string literals resembling filesystem paths.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward Conjur audit logs and host-level process telemetry to a centralized analytics platform for correlation across authentication, policy load, and file access events.
- Track policy load API calls per user and per hour to detect enumeration patterns consistent with reconnaissance.
- Monitor the Conjur server for file access to sensitive paths such as /etc, Conjur configuration directories, and credential stores.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-49830
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade Conjur OSS to version 1.22.1 or later.
- Upgrade Secrets Manager, Self-Hosted to version 13.5.1 or 13.6.1 depending on the deployed branch.
- Audit the set of principals that hold policy load privileges and remove unnecessary grants.
- Rotate any secrets that may have been exposed if evidence of exploitation exists in audit logs.
Patch Information
CyberArk has released fixed versions that address the YAML parser file reference behavior. Conjur OSS version 1.22.1 and Secrets Manager, Self-Hosted versions 13.5.1 and 13.6.1 remediate the issue. Release notes are available at the GitHub Conjur Release v1.22.1 page, and the coordinated disclosure details are published at the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-7m6h-fqrm-m9c5.
Workarounds
- Restrict policy loading privileges to a minimal, trusted administrative group until patching is complete.
- Place the Conjur API behind network controls that limit access to known administrator workstations and CI/CD systems.
- Enable strict audit logging and review all policy load requests performed by non-administrative identities.
# Verify installed Conjur OSS version against the fixed release
conjurctl --version
# Example upgrade check for Conjur OSS container deployments
docker inspect --format '{{.Config.Image}}' conjur | grep -E '1\.22\.[1-9]|1\.2[3-9]'
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
