CVE-2021-38553: Excessive Filesystem Permissions in HashiCorp Vault
Summary
CVE-2021-38553: HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise 1.4.0 through 1.7.3 initialized an underlying database file associated with the Integrated Storage feature with excessively broad filesystem permissions. Affects github.com/hashicorp/vault versions >= 1.4.0, < 1.8.0. Fixed in 1.8.0. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
- vault · Bitnami
The same CVE-2021-38553 is tracked separately for each ecosystem and vendor. Its fix information is the same; the package and affected versions differ.
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Background
HashiCorp Vault is a popular open-source tool used for securely storing and accessing sensitive data. It provides a centralized solution for managing secrets, encryption keys, and other confidential information. Vault is implemented in Go and is widely used in various applications and environments.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-38553 affects HashiCorp Vault versions 1.4.0 through 1.7.3. During the initialization process, the underlying database file associated with the Integrated Storage feature was created with excessively broad filesystem permissions. This means that unauthorized users or processes could potentially access or modify the database file, leading to unauthorized disclosure, modification, or destruction of sensitive data. The vulnerability has been classified as critical with a CVSS score of 9.8.
How To Fix
Latest published version: v1.21.4 as of 23 Oct 2026
go get github.com/hashicorp/vault@v1.21.4Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
1.8.0
This is the first release that contains the fix.
go get github.com/hashicorp/vault@v1.8.0Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
There is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is essential to apply the recommended fix by upgrading to a patched version of HashiCorp Vault.
Conclusion
The vulnerability in HashiCorp Vault versions 1.4.0 through 1.7.3 allows unauthorized access to the underlying database file due to excessively broad filesystem permissions. To mitigate this issue, it is crucial to upgrade to HashiCorp Vault version 1.8.0 or later. For further assistance and support in vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for github.com/hashicorp/vault →
FAQ
HashiCorp Vault is an open-source tool used for securely storing and accessing sensitive data. It provides a centralized solution for managing secrets, encryption keys, and other confidential information.
The vulnerability affects HashiCorp Vault versions 1.4.0 through 1.7.3.
The vulnerability could allow unauthorized access or modification of the underlying database file, leading to unauthorized disclosure, modification, or destruction of sensitive data.
The CVSS score of this vulnerability is 9.8, indicating its critical severity.
No, there is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is recommended to upgrade to a patched version of HashiCorp Vault.
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for github.com/hashicorp/vault.
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