CVE-2020-7956: Improper Certificate Validation in HashiCorp Nomad
Summary
CVE-2020-7956: Improper Certificate Validation in HashiCorp Nomad. Affects github.com/hashicorp/nomad versions < 0.10.3. Fixed in 0.10.3. How to fix ↓
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Background
HashiCorp Nomad is a Go-based package that provides a cluster scheduler and orchestrator for containerized and non-containerized applications. It is designed to manage the deployment and scaling of applications across a distributed infrastructure. Nomad utilizes TLS certificates for mTLS RPC communication. However, versions up to 0.10.2 had a flaw in the validation of role/region associated with these certificates, which could lead to privilege escalation.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in HashiCorp Nomad and Nomad Enterprise up to version 0.10.2 allowed for improper validation of role/region associated with TLS certificates used for mTLS RPC. This flaw could be exploited by an attacker to escalate their privileges. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 9.8, indicating a high severity level. It was fixed in version 0.10.3.
How To Fix
Latest published version: v1.11.3 as of 22 Oct 2026
go get github.com/hashicorp/nomad@v1.11.3Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
0.10.3
This is the first release that contains the fix.
go get github.com/hashicorp/nomad@v0.10.3Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Conclusion
In conclusion, the vulnerability in HashiCorp Nomad allowed for improper certificate validation, potentially leading to privilege escalation. Users should upgrade to version 0.10.3 or later to mitigate this vulnerability. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for github.com/hashicorp/nomad →
FAQ
HashiCorp Nomad is a cluster scheduler and orchestrator for containerized and non-containerized applications. It helps manage the deployment and scaling of applications across a distributed infrastructure.
The vulnerability in HashiCorp Nomad could allow an attacker to escalate their privileges, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive resources and compromising the integrity of the system.
You can use Vulert's playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your version of HashiCorp Nomad is affected by this vulnerability. Simply upload your Gopkg.lock file to the playground, and it will alert you in real-time if your application is affected.
No, there is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is recommended to upgrade to the fixed version (0.10.3) as soon as possible.
You can find more information about this vulnerability in the HashiCorp Nomad advisory on GitHub: [link to advisory]
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for github.com/hashicorp/nomad.
