HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2020-16251
HIGH

CVE-2020-16251

CWE-287Published: August 26, 2020· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

8.2
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise versions 0.8.3 and newer, when configured with the GCP GCE auth method, may be vulnerable to authentication bypass. Fixed in 1.2.5, 1.3.8, 1.4.4, and 1.5.1.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2020-16251 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

A successful exploit results in full integrity compromise (data manipulation), with a CVSS base score of 8.2.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-287): Authentication bypass vulnerabilities allow attackers to access protected resources without valid credentials.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityLow
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N

Affected Vendors & Products

hashicorp1 product(s)
vault
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

All References (6)

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2020-16251
CVSS Score8.2 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-287
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedAug 26, 2020

Related CVEs (CWE-287)

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2020-16251 in threat intel feeds
  • Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.