CVE-2021-38553 : Security Advisory and Response
Understand the impact of CVE-2021-38553, a vulnerability in HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise versions 1.4.0 through 1.7.3 with excessively broad filesystem permissions. Learn about the technical details, affected systems, and mitigation steps.
HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise versions 1.4.0 through 1.7.3 were found to initialize an underlying database file associated with the Integrated Storage feature with excessively broad filesystem permissions. The vulnerability was fixed in Vault and Vault Enterprise version 1.8.0.
Understanding CVE-2021-38553
This section will provide insights into the impact and technical details of CVE-2021-38553.
What is CVE-2021-38553?
CVE-2021-38553 refers to the vulnerability in HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise versions 1.4.0 through 1.7.3 that incorrectly set broad filesystem permissions on an underlying database file.
The Impact of CVE-2021-38553
The vulnerability in CVE-2021-38553 could allow an attacker to access sensitive data stored in the integrated storage backend due to the excessively broad filesystem permissions.
Technical Details of CVE-2021-38553
In this section, we will explore the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, and the exploitation mechanism.
Vulnerability Description
HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise versions 1.4.0 through 1.7.3 initialize an underlying database file associated with the Integrated Storage feature with excessively broad filesystem permissions, potentially exposing sensitive data.
Affected Systems and Versions
The affected systems include HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise versions 1.4.0 through 1.7.3.
Exploitation Mechanism
By exploiting the vulnerability in CVE-2021-38553, malicious actors could gain unauthorized access to the integrated storage backend database file.
Mitigation and Prevention
To protect systems from CVE-2021-38553, immediate steps, long-term security practices, and the importance of patching and updates are crucial.
Immediate Steps to Take
Organizations using affected versions should upgrade to Vault and Vault Enterprise version 1.8.0 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Long-Term Security Practices
Implementing the principle of least privilege, regularly monitoring filesystem permissions, and conducting security audits are essential for long-term security.
Patching and Updates
Regularly applying security patches and updates as released by HashiCorp is critical to maintaining a secure environment.