CVE-2025-49824 is a vulnerability identified in the conda-smithy package, a tool widely used in the conda-forge ecosystem for combining conda recipes with configurations to build software using freely hosted continuous integration (CI) services. The vulnerability specifically affects versions of conda-smithy prior to 3.47.1 and stems from the implementation of the travis_encrypt_binstar_token function. This function uses RSA encryption with an outdated and insecure padding scheme vulnerable to an Oracle Padding Attack. An Oracle Padding Attack exploits weaknesses in the padding mechanism of RSA encryption, allowing an attacker who can interact with an oracle system (a system that reveals whether a ciphertext is correctly padded) to iteratively submit modified ciphertexts and analyze the system's responses. Through this process, the attacker can infer the plaintext data without needing access to the private RSA key. In this context, the sensitive information at risk is likely the Binstar token used for authentication with package repositories or CI services, which if exposed, could allow unauthorized access to build or deployment pipelines. The vulnerability has been addressed and patched in conda-smithy version 3.47.1 by updating the encryption scheme to a secure padding method, mitigating the risk of plaintext recovery via padding oracle attacks. The CVSS 4.0 score assigned is 1.7, indicating a low severity primarily because exploitation does not require authentication or user interaction but the impact on confidentiality is limited, and the attack complexity is relatively high due to the need for oracle access. No known exploits are reported in the wild, and the vulnerability requires an attacker to have access to the oracle system that processes the encrypted tokens, which may limit the attack surface. However, given the role of conda-smithy in automated build and deployment workflows, exposure of authentication tokens could lead to unauthorized access to CI pipelines or package repositories if exploited.

For European organizations that rely on conda-forge and conda-smithy for managing software builds and continuous integration, this vulnerability poses a risk of sensitive token exposure. If an attacker successfully exploits this flaw, they could gain unauthorized access to CI services or package repositories, potentially leading to unauthorized code uploads, tampering with build artifacts, or disruption of automated deployment processes. This could undermine software supply chain integrity and lead to further compromise of downstream systems. While the direct impact is limited to confidentiality exposure of tokens, the secondary effects could be significant, especially for organizations with critical software development pipelines or those distributing software packages widely. European organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, which often have stringent supply chain security requirements, could face reputational damage and regulatory scrutiny if such a breach occurs. However, the low CVSS score and the requirement for oracle access reduce the likelihood of widespread exploitation.

1. Upgrade conda-smithy to version 3.47.1 or later immediately to ensure the patched encryption scheme is in use. 2. Audit and rotate any Binstar or related authentication tokens that were generated or used with vulnerable versions of conda-smithy to prevent unauthorized reuse. 3. Restrict access to CI systems and any oracle endpoints that process encrypted tokens to trusted users and networks, minimizing the attack surface. 4. Implement monitoring and alerting for unusual access patterns or failed decryption attempts on CI services that could indicate exploitation attempts. 5. Review and harden CI/CD pipeline security, including enforcing least privilege for tokens and credentials, to limit the impact of any token exposure. 6. Educate development and DevOps teams about the importance of using updated tooling and promptly applying security patches in build environments.