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API key authentication vulnerable to timing attack

High
russellb published GHSA-wr9h-g72x-mwhm Oct 7, 2025

Package

pip vllm (pip)

Affected versions

<=0.11.0

Patched versions

0.11.0

Description

Summary

The API key support in vLLM performed validation using a method that was vulnerable to a timing attack. This could potentially allow an attacker to discover a valid API key using an approach more efficient than brute force.

Details

if url_path.startswith("/v1") and headers.get(
"Authorization") not in self.api_tokens:
response = JSONResponse(content={"error": "Unauthorized"},
status_code=401)
return response(scope, receive, send)

API key validation used a string comparison that will take longer the more characters the provided API key gets correct. Data analysis across many attempts can allow an attacker to determine when it finds the next correct character in the key sequence.

Impact

Deployments relying on vLLM's built-in API key validation are vulnerable to authentication bypass using this technique.

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
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

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:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CVE ID

CVE-2025-59425

Weaknesses

Covert Timing Channel

Covert timing channels convey information by modulating some aspect of system behavior over time, so that the program receiving the information can observe system behavior and infer protected information. Learn more on MITRE.

Credits