Summary
OpenRefine leaks Google API credentials in releases
Workarounds
Users should revoke access to their Google account if they have connected it to OpenRefine.
Impact
OpenRefine releases contain Google API authentication keys ("client id" and "client secret") which can be extracted from released artifacts. For instance, download the package for OpenRefine 3.8.2 on linux. It contains the file openrefine-3.8.2/webapp/extensions/gdata/module/MOD-INF/lib/openrefine-gdata.jar, which can be extracted.
This archive then contains the file com/google/refine/extension/gdata/GoogleAPIExtension.java, which contains the following lines:
// For a production release, the second parameter (default value) can be set
// for the following three properties (client_id, client_secret, and API key) to
// the production values from the Google API console
private static final String CLIENT_ID = System.getProperty("ext.gdata.clientid", new String(Base64.getDecoder().decode("ODk1NTU1ODQzNjMwLWhkZWwyN3NxMDM5ZjFwMmZ0aGE2M2VvcWFpY2JwamZoLmFwcHMuZ29vZ2xldXNlcmNvbnRlbnQuY29t")));
private static final String CLIENT_SECRET = System.getProperty("ext.gdata.clientsecret", new String(Base64.getDecoder().decode("R2V2TnZiTnA2a3IxeDd5c3VZNENmYlNo")));
The Base64 encoding can then be decoded to obtain the client id and client secret.
Those credentials can then be used by other applications to request access to Google accounts, pretending they are OpenRefine. This assumes that they also get access to the user access tokens, which this vulnerability doesn't expose by itself.
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.
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See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
The bundled credentials should be revoked.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-3PG4-QWC8-426R? GHSA-3PG4-QWC8-426R is a high-severity security vulnerability in org.openrefine:openrefine (maven), affecting versions < 3.8.3. It is fixed in 3.8.3.
- Which versions of org.openrefine:openrefine are affected by GHSA-3PG4-QWC8-426R? org.openrefine:openrefine (maven) versions < 3.8.3 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-3PG4-QWC8-426R? Yes. GHSA-3PG4-QWC8-426R is fixed in 3.8.3. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-3PG4-QWC8-426R exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-3PG4-QWC8-426R 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 GHSA-3PG4-QWC8-426R 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 GHSA-3PG4-QWC8-426R? Upgrade
org.openrefine:openrefineto 3.8.3 or later.