MEDIUM
CVE-2021-38553
CWE-281Published: August 13, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
4.4
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise 1.4.0 through 1.7.3 initialized an underlying database file associated with the Integrated Storage feature with excessively broad filesystem permissions. Fixed in Vault and Vault Enterprise 1.8.0.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2021-38553 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation requires high privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
A successful exploit results in availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 4.4.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.High
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
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
Exploit-DB
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Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
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Official Patches & Advisories
All References (4)
→
→
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202207-01Third Party Advisory
→
→
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202207-01Third Party Advisory
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2021-38553
CVSS Score4.4 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-281
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedAug 13, 2021
Related CVEs (CWE-281)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2021-38553 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.