Vulnerability Description
Openfire is an XMPP server licensed under the Open Source Apache License. Openfire’s SASL EXTERNAL mechanism for client TLS authentication contains a vulnerability in how it extracts user identities from X.509 certificates. Instead of parsing the structured ASN.1 data, the code calls X509Certificate.getSubjectDN().getName() and applies a regex to look for CN=. This method produces a provider-dependent string that does not escape special characters. In SunJSSE (sun.security.x509.X500Name), for example, commas and equals signs inside attribute values are not escaped. As a result, a malicious certificate can embed CN= inside another attribute value (e.g. OU="CN=admin,"). The regex will incorrectly interpret this as a legitimate Common Name and extract admin. If SASL EXTERNAL is enabled and configured to map CNs to user accounts, this allows the attacker to impersonate another user. The fix is included in Openfire 5.0.2 and 5.1.0.
CVSS Score
MEDIUM
Related Weaknesses (CWE)
References
- https://github.com/igniterealtime/Openfire/blob/8d073dda36905da0fdee7cb623c025a0
- https://github.com/igniterealtime/Openfire/security/advisories/GHSA-w252-645g-87
- https://igniterealtime.atlassian.net/browse/OF-3122
- https://igniterealtime.atlassian.net/browse/OF-3123
- https://igniterealtime.atlassian.net/browse/OF-3124
FAQ
What is CVE-2025-59154?
CVE-2025-59154 is a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.9 (MEDIUM). Openfire is an XMPP server licensed under the Open Source Apache License. Openfire’s SASL EXTERNAL mechanism for client TLS authentication contains a vulnerability in how it extracts user identities f...
How severe is CVE-2025-59154?
CVE-2025-59154 has been rated MEDIUM with a CVSS base score of 5.9/10. Review the CVSS metrics above for detailed severity breakdown.
Is there a patch for CVE-2025-59154?
Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Review vendor security bulletins for remediation guidance.