CVE-2025-11621: Github.com/hashicorp/vault Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-9g4h-h484-3578
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CVSS 8.1
CWE-288
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2025-11621 is a HIGH (CVSS 8.1) authentication bypass vulnerability (CWE-288: Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel) affecting Github.com/hashicorp/vault libraries in the Go ecosystem. The issue involves hashicorp vault and vault enterprise's aws auth method may be susceptible to authentication bypass. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.21.0.

CVE-2025-11621 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2025-11621
GHSA Identifier GHSA-9g4h-h484-3578
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 8.1
CWE Classification CWE-288: Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel
Affected Product Github.com/hashicorp/vault
Package Ecosystem Go
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 8.1

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2025-11621

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Github.com/hashicorp/vault dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

github.com/hashicorp/vault fixed: 1.21.0 
Upgrade github.com/hashicorp/vault to 1.21.0
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

inspect dependencies for github.com/hashicorp/vault

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2025-11621, inspect your project dependencies for Github.com/hashicorp/vault:

inspect dependencies for github.com/hashicorp/vault

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Github.com/hashicorp/vault in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 1.21.0), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-288: Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel, where the product requires authentication, but the product has an alternate path or channel that does not require authentication. In Github.com/hashicorp/vault, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

Vault and Vault Enterprise's ("Vault") AWS Auth method may be susceptible to authentication bypass if the role of the configured bound_principal_iam is the same across AWS accounts, or uses a wildcard. This vulnerability is fixed in Vault Community Edition 1.21.0 and Vault Enterprise 1.21.0, 1.20.5, 1.19.11, and 1.16.27.

CVE-2025-11621 Affected Github.com/hashicorp/vault Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
1.21.0
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
github.com/hashicorp/vault
golang/github.com/hashicorp/vault
Go
≥ 0.6.0
< 1.21.0
1.21.0

References

NVD — CVE-2025-11621 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-11621
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/hashicorp/vault/commit/8d07273d14ae7f5a48cc96f66cc86615dea83390
discuss.hashicorp.com/t/hcsec-2025-30-vau... WEB
https://discuss.hashicorp.com/t/hcsec-2025-30-vault-aws-auth-method-authentication-bypass-through-mishandling-of-cache-entries/76709
Github.com/hashicorp/vault Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/hashicorp/vault

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-11621?
CVE-2025-11621 is a security vulnerability in Github.com/hashicorp/vault involving HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise's AWS Auth method may be susceptible to authentication bypass under CWE-288: Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel.
Which Github.com/hashicorp/vault versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 1.21.0 across affected packages: github.com/hashicorp/vault.
What version fixes CVE-2025-11621?
Upgrading to 1.21.0 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is github.com/hashicorp/vault affected?
Yes, github.com/hashicorp/vault is affected in releases prior to 1.21.0. Upgrade your dependency to 1.21.0 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2025-11621?
CVE-2025-11621 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2025-11621?
CVE-2025-11621 is classified under CWE-288: Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel (The product requires authentication, but the product has an alternate path or channel that does not require authentication.).
How can I check Go dependencies for CVE-2025-11621?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for github.com/hashicorp/vault'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-9g4h-h484-3578",
  "modified" : "2025-10-23T22:24:03Z",
  "published" : "2025-10-23T21:31:43Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2025-11621" ],
  "summary" : "HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise's AWS Auth method may be susceptible to authentication bypass",
  "details" : "Vault and Vault Enterprise's (\"Vault\") AWS Auth method may be susceptible to authentication bypass if the role of the configured bound_principal_iam is the same across AWS accounts, or uses a wildcard. This vulnerability is fixed in Vault Community Edition 1.21.0 and Vault Enterprise 1.21.0, 1.20.5, 1.19.11, and 1.16.27.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/hashicorp/vault"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0.6.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.21.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-11621"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/hashicorp/vault/commit/8d07273d14ae7f5a48cc96f66cc86615dea83390"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://discuss.hashicorp.com/t/hcsec-2025-30-vault-aws-auth-method-authentication-bypass-through-mishandling-of-cache-entries/76709"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/hashicorp/vault"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-288" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2025-10-23T22:21:01Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2025-10-23T19:15:48Z"
  }
}