Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Vault’s web UI could keep secrets a user viewed in a browser cache and show them to another session using the same shared browser. This is mainly a confidentiality issue for environments where Vault UI is used on shared machines, shared browser profiles, jump hosts, or kiosks.
Executive priority
Treat as a targeted confidentiality risk, not a broad remote compromise signal. Prioritize quickly if Vault UI is used on shared workstations or administrative jump hosts. Otherwise, fold into normal Vault patch governance and verify browser-session hygiene.
Technical view
CVE-2021-38554 affects HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise UI behavior. User-viewed secrets were erroneously cached and exposed between sessions in a single shared browser. The bundle names a fix in 1.8.0 and pending 1.7.4 and 1.6.6 releases, but gives no CVSS, CWE, or detailed affected-version range.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most plausible where multiple users access Vault UI from the same browser profile or endpoint. Dedicated admin workstations with separate browser profiles reduce practical exposure. The bundle does not identify API exposure or non-UI secret reads as affected.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not support active exploitation, and CISA KEV is false. Abuse appears to require access to the same shared browser context after another user viewed secrets. No exploit mechanics are provided in the bundle.
Researcher notes
Evidence is limited to a UI cache exposure description, fixed-release notes, and Gentoo advisory reference. The bundle does not provide CVSS, CWE, affected-version granularity, exploit status, or detailed reproduction data. Avoid claiming API impact or remote exploitation without additional vendor evidence.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade Vault or Vault Enterprise to version 1.8.0 or vendor-advised fixed maintenance releases.
- Check HashiCorp and Gentoo guidance for current patched package availability.
- Avoid shared browser profiles for Vault UI access until fixed.
- Clear browser caches on shared systems after Vault UI use.
- Restrict Vault UI access to managed, user-specific workstations.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Vault and Vault Enterprise deployments with UI enabled.
- Identify shared endpoints, jump hosts, kiosks, or shared browser profiles used for Vault UI.
- Confirm deployed Vault versions against HashiCorp fixed-release guidance.
- Review endpoint controls for browser cache clearing and profile separation.
- Verify users do not share operating-system or browser sessions for Vault administration.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CVE-2021-38554 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://discuss.hashicorp.com/t/hcsec-2021-19-vault-s-ui-cached-user-viewed-secrets-between-shared-browser-sessions/28166CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- GLSA-202207-01CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_GENTOO
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.