CVE-2026-5051: CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory (Path Traversal) in HashiCorp Vault
HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise prior to 2.0.1 audit device validation logic did not consistently apply plugin directory protections when the legacy file audit path option was used. This vulnerability (CVE-2026-5051) is fixed in 2.0.1, 1.21.6, 1.20.11, and 1.19.17.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
HashiCorp Vault versions prior to 2.0.1 contain a CWE-22 path traversal vulnerability in the audit device validation logic. Specifically, when the legacy file audit path option is used, the plugin directory protections are not consistently applied, allowing an attacker with high privileges to access files outside the restricted directory. This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.4, indicating medium severity, with network attack vector, high attack complexity, and requiring high privileges but no user interaction. The vulnerability is addressed in Vault versions 2.0.1, 1.21.6, 1.20.11, and 1.19.17.
Potential Impact
An attacker with high privileges on the system can exploit this vulnerability to read files outside the intended plugin directory, potentially exposing sensitive information. The vulnerability does not impact integrity or availability, only confidentiality. No known exploits are reported in the wild.
Mitigation Recommendations
This vulnerability is fixed in HashiCorp Vault versions 2.0.1, 1.21.6, 1.20.11, and 1.19.17. Users should upgrade to one of these versions or later to remediate the issue. Patch status is confirmed by the vendor advisory. No additional mitigations are specified.
CVE-2026-5051: CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory (Path Traversal) in HashiCorp Vault
Description
HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise prior to 2.0.1 audit device validation logic did not consistently apply plugin directory protections when the legacy file audit path option was used. This vulnerability (CVE-2026-5051) is fixed in 2.0.1, 1.21.6, 1.20.11, and 1.19.17.
CVSS v3.1
Score 4.4medium
Affected software
pkg:github/Vault EnterpriseRun on your own infrastructure? Check whether these packages are installed with threat-finder — our free open-source scanner.
Weaknesses
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
HashiCorp Vault versions prior to 2.0.1 contain a CWE-22 path traversal vulnerability in the audit device validation logic. Specifically, when the legacy file audit path option is used, the plugin directory protections are not consistently applied, allowing an attacker with high privileges to access files outside the restricted directory. This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.4, indicating medium severity, with network attack vector, high attack complexity, and requiring high privileges but no user interaction. The vulnerability is addressed in Vault versions 2.0.1, 1.21.6, 1.20.11, and 1.19.17.
Potential Impact
An attacker with high privileges on the system can exploit this vulnerability to read files outside the intended plugin directory, potentially exposing sensitive information. The vulnerability does not impact integrity or availability, only confidentiality. No known exploits are reported in the wild.
Mitigation Recommendations
This vulnerability is fixed in HashiCorp Vault versions 2.0.1, 1.21.6, 1.20.11, and 1.19.17. Users should upgrade to one of these versions or later to remediate the issue. Patch status is confirmed by the vendor advisory. No additional mitigations are specified.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- HashiCorp
- Date Reserved
- 2026-03-27T17:45:14.081Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- null
Threat ID: 6a4553d327e9c79719e35e8c
Added to database: 07/01/2026, 17:52:19 UTC
Last enriched: 07/01/2026, 18:06:31 UTC
Last updated: 07/01/2026, 18:48:45 UTC
Views: 4
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