Cyber Resilience

CVE-2025-64420

Exposed Creds in Coollabs Coolify ≤ 4.0.0

Public PoCExposed Creds
Published
05 January 2026
Modified
12 January 2026
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 9.9
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0050 41th percentile
Risk Priority 68 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2025-64420 is a critical-severity Insufficiently Protected Credentials (CWE-522) vulnerability in Coollabs Coolify. Its CVSS base score is 9.9 (Critical).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Unsecured Credentials (T1552); ranked at the 41th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SC-28 (Protection of Information at Rest) and SC-8 (Transmission Confidentiality and Integrity) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

CVE-2025-64420 is a critical vulnerability in Coolify, an open-source and self-hostable tool for managing servers, applications, and databases. In versions prior to and including v4.0.0-beta.434, low-privileged users can access the private key of the root user on the Coolify instance. This issue, tied to CWE-522 (Insufficiently Protected Credentials), carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.9 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H), reflecting its severe potential impact.

An attacker with low privileges and network access to the Coolify instance can exploit this vulnerability with low complexity and no user interaction required. By viewing the exposed root private key, they can use it to authenticate via SSH directly as the root user on the server, achieving full administrative control. This grants high-impact privileges over confidentiality, integrity, and availability across the affected system's scope.

The primary reference, a GitHub security advisory (GHSA-qwxj-qch7-whpc), states that as of the CVE's publication on 2026-01-05, it remains unclear if a patch is available. Administrators should limit low-privileged user access, monitor the Coolify repository for updates, and audit exposed credentials in affected deployments until official mitigation guidance is released.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Coolify is an open-source and self-hostable tool for managing servers, applications, and databases. In Coolify versions prior to and including v4.0.0-beta.434, low privileged users are able to see the private key of the root user on the Coolify instance. This…

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allows them to ssh to the server and authenticate as root user, using the private key. As of time of publication, it is unclear if a patch is available.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1552 Unsecured Credentials Credential Access
Adversaries may search compromised systems to find and obtain insecurely stored credentials.
T1552.001 Credentials In Files Credential Access
Adversaries may search local file systems and remote file shares for files containing insecurely stored credentials.
T1021 Remote Services Lateral Movement
Adversaries may use [Valid Accounts](https://attack.
T1078 Valid Accounts Stealth
Adversaries may obtain and abuse credentials of existing accounts as a means of gaining Initial Access, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, or Defense Evasion.
T1114.002 Remote Email Collection Collection
Adversaries may target an Exchange server, Office 365, or Google Workspace to collect sensitive information.
T1550.003 Pass the Ticket Lateral Movement
Adversaries may “pass the ticket” using stolen Kerberos tickets to move laterally within an environment, bypassing normal system access controls.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2025-59955Same product: Coollabs Coolify
CVE-2025-64423Same product: Coollabs Coolify
CVE-2025-22612Same product: Coollabs Coolify
CVE-2025-22607Same product: Coollabs Coolify
CVE-2025-66211Same product: Coollabs Coolify
CVE-2025-66210Same product: Coollabs Coolify
CVE-2025-64425Same product: Coollabs Coolify
CVE-2025-64419Same product: Coollabs Coolify
CVE-2025-22608Same product: Coollabs Coolify
CVE-2025-34157Same product: Coollabs Coolify

Affected Assets

coollabs
coolify
4.0.0 · ≤ 4.0.0

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 1 hardening rule · 1 OS baseline
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V11.3.3

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

Protection of information at rest requires encryption or equivalent safeguards for stored credentials.

Transmission confidentiality and integrity enforcement stops credentials from being sent in plaintext or without protection.

Authenticator management requires secure generation, storage, and distribution of credentials, directly stopping insecure methods.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.DS-01 full match
prevents

Encrypting data-at-rest fully prevents insecure credential storage while only partially satisfying the broader data-protection outcome.

PR.DS-02 full match
prevents

Encrypting data-in-transit fully prevents interception of credentials in motion while only partially satisfying the broader data-protection outcome.

PR.AA-01 mostly match
prevents

Credential management practices directly reduce insecure storage/transmission but do not guarantee encryption or transport protection.

PR.AA-04 mostly match
prevents

Protecting identity assertions covers conveyance of credentials but is narrower than full credential lifecycle protection.

PR.AA-03 partial match
prevents

Authentication policies can enforce stronger credential handling yet address only verification, not storage or transit protection.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

prevents

Requiring protected storage, transmission, and non-display of passwords prevents credentials from being stored or sent in clear text where they can be harvested by unauthorized actors.

prevents

Protecting secret and private keys against disclosure and unauthorized use decreases the exposure of credentials that are stored or transmitted in recoverable form.

prevents

Forbidding clear-text transmission and display of passwords, plus the use of stronger alternatives to passwords, prevents credentials from being obtained or reused by attackers.

prevents

Acceptable-use expectations that cover protection of credentials and information assets throughout their lifecycle discourage practices that expose or mishandle authentication material.

prevents

Contractual clauses that survive termination help ensure that credentials and other secrets are not retained or misused after employment ends.

prevents

Regular reminders about password security and personal accountability make users less likely to store or transmit credentials in cleartext or other unprotected forms.

References