Summary
Workarounds
This issue can be worked around either by removing any roles with callback_mode=direct or enforcing confirmation for every session on the token issuer side for the Client ID used by OpenBao.
Impact
OpenBao does not prompt for user confirmation when logging in via JWT/OIDC and a role with callback_mode set to direct.
This allows an attacker to start an authentication request and perform "remote phishing" by having the victim visit the URL and automatically log-in to the session of the attacker. Despite being based on the authorization code flow, the direct mode calls back directly to the API and allows an attacker to poll for an OpenBao token until it is issued.
CVE-2026-33757 has a CVSS score of 9.6 (Critical). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and user interaction required. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (0.0.0-20260325142553-e32103951925); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
Remediation advice
Version 2.5.2 includes an additional confirmation screen for direct type logins that requires manual user interaction in order to finish the authentication.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-33757? CVE-2026-33757 is a critical-severity security vulnerability in github.com/openbao/openbao (go), affecting versions < 0.0.0-20260325142553-e32103951925. It is fixed in 0.0.0-20260325142553-e32103951925.
- How severe is CVE-2026-33757? CVE-2026-33757 has a CVSS score of 9.6 (Critical). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of github.com/openbao/openbao are affected by CVE-2026-33757? github.com/openbao/openbao (go) versions < 0.0.0-20260325142553-e32103951925 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-33757? Yes. CVE-2026-33757 is fixed in 0.0.0-20260325142553-e32103951925. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-33757 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-33757 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2026-33757 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-33757? Upgrade
github.com/openbao/openbaoto 0.0.0-20260325142553-e32103951925 or later.