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hippo4j Includes Hard Coded Secret Key in JWT Creation

High severity GitHub Reviewed Published Aug 21, 2025 to the GitHub Advisory Database • Updated Aug 22, 2025

Package

mavencn.hippo4j:hippo4j-core (Maven)

Affected versions

>= 1.0.0, <= 1.5.0

Patched versions

None

Description

hippo4j 1.0.0 to 1.5.0, uses a hard-coded secret key in its JWT (JSON Web Token) creation. This allows attackers with access to the source code or compiled binary to forge valid access tokens and impersonate any user, including privileged ones such as "admin". The vulnerability poses a critical security risk in systems where authentication and authorization rely on the integrity of JWTs.

References

Published by the National Vulnerability DatabaseAug 21, 2025
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Aug 21, 2025
Reviewed Aug 22, 2025
Last updated Aug 22, 2025

Severity

High

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector:More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity:More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required:More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction:More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope:More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality:More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity:More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability:More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS score

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

This score estimates the probability of this vulnerability being exploited within the next 30 days. Data provided by FIRST.
(26th percentile)

Weaknesses

Use of Hard-coded Credentials

The product contains hard-coded credentials, such as a password or cryptographic key. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2025-51606

GHSA ID

GHSA-48cg-9c55-j2q7

Source code

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