CVE-2021-41802: Github.com/hashicorp/vault Hashicorp Vault Privilege Escalation Vulnerability Vulnerability

LOW
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-qv95-g3gm-x542
CVSS 2.9
CWE-732 CWE-269
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2021-41802 is a LOW (CVSS 2.9) hashicorp vault privilege escalation vulnerability vulnerability (CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource) affecting Github.com/hashicorp/vault libraries in the Go ecosystem. The issue involves hashicorp vault privilege escalation vulnerability. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.7.5, 1.8.4.

CVE-2021-41802 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2021-41802
GHSA Identifier GHSA-qv95-g3gm-x542
Severity LOW
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 2.9
CWE Classification CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
Affected Product Github.com/hashicorp/vault
Package Ecosystem Go
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 2.9

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

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

How to Fix CVE-2021-41802

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: 1.7.5
Upgrade github.com/hashicorp/vault to 1.7.5
github.com/hashicorp/vault fixed: 1.8.4
Upgrade github.com/hashicorp/vault to 1.8.4
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-2021-41802, 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 1.7.5), 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-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource, where the product specifies permissions for a security-critical resource in a way that allows that resource to be read or modified by unintended actors. 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

HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise through 1.7.4 and 1.8.3 allowed a user with write permission to an entity alias ID sharing a mount accessor with another user to acquire this other user’s policies by merging their identities. Fixed in Vault and Vault Enterprise 1.7.5 and 1.8.4.

CVE-2021-41802 Affected Github.com/hashicorp/vault Versions

2 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
1.7.51.8.4
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
github.com/hashicorp/vault
Go
< 1.7.5
1.7.5
github.com/hashicorp/vault
Go
≥ 1.8.0
< 1.8.4
1.8.4

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-41802?
CVE-2021-41802 is a security vulnerability in Github.com/hashicorp/vault involving Hashicorp Vault Privilege Escalation Vulnerability under CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource.
Which Github.com/hashicorp/vault versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 1.7.5, 1.8.4 across affected packages: github.com/hashicorp/vault.
What version fixes CVE-2021-41802?
Upgrading to 1.7.5, 1.8.4 (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 1.7.5, 1.8.4. Upgrade your dependency to 1.7.5, 1.8.4 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2021-41802?
CVE-2021-41802 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 2.9 (LOW) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2021-41802?
CVE-2021-41802 is classified under CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource (The product specifies permissions for a security-critical resource in a way that allows that resource to be read or modified by unintended actors.).
How can I check Go dependencies for CVE-2021-41802?
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
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-qv95-g3gm-x542",
  "modified" : "2022-08-10T23:49:29Z",
  "published" : "2021-10-12T16:39:01Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2021-41802" ],
  "summary" : "Hashicorp Vault Privilege Escalation Vulnerability",
  "details" : "HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise through 1.7.4 and 1.8.3 allowed a user with write permission to an entity alias ID sharing a mount accessor with another user to acquire this other user’s policies by merging their identities. Fixed in Vault and Vault Enterprise 1.7.5 and 1.8.4.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/hashicorp/vault"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.7.5"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/hashicorp/vault"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "1.8.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.8.4"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-41802"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://discuss.hashicorp.com/t/hcsec-2021-27-vault-merging-multiple-entity-aliases-for-the-same-mount-may-allow-privilege-escalation"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/hashicorp/vault"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202207-01"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-269", "CWE-732" ],
    "severity" : "LOW",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2021-10-11T18:57:45Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2021-10-08T17:15:00Z"
  }
}