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CVE-2021-43837
December 16, 2021
vault-cli is a configurable command-line interface tool (and python library) to interact with Hashicorp Vault. In versions before 3.0.0 vault-cli features the ability for rendering templated values. When a secret starts with the prefix "!template!", vault-cli interprets the rest of the contents of the secret as a Jinja2 template. Jinja2 is a powerful templating engine and is not designed to safely render arbitrary templates. An attacker controlling a jinja2 template rendered on a machine can trigger arbitrary code, making this a Remote Code Execution (RCE) risk. If the content of the vault can be completely trusted, then this is not a problem. Otherwise, if your threat model includes cases where an attacker can manipulate a secret value read from the vault using vault-cli, then this vulnerability may impact you. In 3.0.0, the code related to interpreting vault templated secrets has been removed entirely. Users are advised to upgrade as soon as possible. For users unable to upgrade a workaround does exist. Using the environment variable "VAULT_CLI_RENDER=false" or the flag "--no-render" (placed between "vault-cli" and the subcommand, e.g. "vault-cli --no-render get-all") or adding "render: false" to the vault-cli configuration yaml file disables rendering and removes the vulnerability. Using the python library, you can use: "vault_cli.get_client(render=False)" when creating your client to get a client that will not render templated secrets and thus operates securely.
Affected Packages
vault-cli (PYTHON):
Affected version(s) >=0.7.0 <3.0.0
Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 3.0.0
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CVSS v4
Base Score:
9.3
Attack Vector
ADJACENT
Attack Complexity
LOW
Attack Requirements
NONE
Privileges Required
HIGH
User Interaction
NONE
Vulnerable System Confidentiality
HIGH
Vulnerable System Integrity
HIGH
Vulnerable System Availability
HIGH
Subsequent System Confidentiality
HIGH
Subsequent System Integrity
HIGH
Subsequent System Availability
HIGH
CVSS v3
Base Score:
8.4
Attack Vector
ADJACENT
Attack Complexity
LOW
Privileges Required
HIGH
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
CHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
HIGH
CVSS v2
Base Score:
9
Access Vector
NETWORK
Access Complexity
LOW
Authentication
SINGLE
Confidentiality Impact
COMPLETE
Integrity Impact
COMPLETE
Availability Impact
COMPLETE
Weakness Type (CWE)
Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')
EPSS
Base Score:
7.48