How severe is CVE-2021-38553?

CVE-2021-38553 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.4, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-38553 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (19th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-38553?

CVE-2021-38553 primarily affects Hashicorp Vault. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-38553?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2021-38553 published?

CVE-2021-38553 was published on 2021-08-13 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-38553

CVE-2021-38553 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Hashicorp Vault with a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.4. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-281.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 4.4)
CVSS v2: 2.1
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (19th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-281
Affected product: Hashicorp Vault
Published: 2021-08-13
Last modified: 2026-06-17

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.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-38553?: 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.
How severe is CVE-2021-38553?: CVE-2021-38553 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.4, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-38553 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (19th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-38553?: CVE-2021-38553 primarily affects Hashicorp Vault. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-38553?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2021-38553 published?: CVE-2021-38553 was published on 2021-08-13 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:hashicorp:vault:*:*:*:*:-:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:hashicorp:vault:*:*:*:*:enterprise:*:*:*

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