CVE-2025-6000: HashiCorp Vault audit device file write lets privileged operator run host code

Critical 9.1 EPSS 1.0%

A Vault operator with write permission to sys/audit in the root namespace can use the file audit device (with its prefix option) to write arbitrary files to disk and, when a plugin directory is configured, register and run that file as a plugin, executing code on the Vault host. This turns Vault admin access into host compromise. HashiCorp rates it CVSS 9.1; HCP Vault Dedicated is not exploitable because it uses administrative namespaces.

CVE-2025-6000CVE identifier
9.1CVSS 3.1 base score (critical)
1.0%EPSS: chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (higher than 62% of CVEs)
2025-08-01published

What do these terms mean? CVE · CVSS score · exploited (KEV) · EPSS · backported fix · all terms

What to do now

Check whether you run the affected software and which version (commands below).
Install the fixed version for your system: see “Patch it” below.
Restart each Vault server (standbys first, then the active node) and unseal it, following HashiCorp's Upgrading Vault guide.
If you cannot patch today, apply the temporary mitigation below and patch as soon as possible.

Affected and fixed versions

Affected:

Vault Community Edition 0.8.0 up to 1.20.0
Vault Enterprise 0.8.0 up to 1.20.0, 1.19.6, 1.18.11, 1.16.22, 1.15.15

Fixed in:

Vault Community Edition 1.20.1
Vault Enterprise 1.20.1, 1.19.7, 1.18.12, 1.16.23

Am I affected?

vault version
vault status
grep -n plugin_directory /etc/vault.d/*.hcl

Patch it

Use the commands for your system. Distribution packages often keep an older version number with the fix backported, so compare with the fixed package versions in the table below, not only with the upstream version.

Debian

# HashiCorp APT repository (apt.releases.hashicorp.com)
sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade vault
sudo systemctl restart vault   # then unseal

Ubuntu

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade vault
sudo systemctl restart vault   # then unseal

RHEL, AlmaLinux, Rocky, Oracle

# HashiCorp RPM repository (rpm.releases.hashicorp.com)
sudo dnf upgrade vault
sudo systemctl restart vault   # then unseal

Docker images

docker pull hashicorp/vault:1.20.1
# update the tag in compose/Helm values (server.image.tag for the hashicorp/vault chart) and roll the pods one at a time, standbys first

General update steps for every system are on the Linux and Unix & BSD pages; after updating, see which services to restart.

If you cannot patch yet

Restrict write access to sys/audit in the root namespace to as few operators as possible.
After upgrading, the audit prefix option is off by default for new audit devices and needs AllowAuditLogPrefixing = true in the Vault configuration; audit log destinations can no longer point into the plugin directory.

Sources

Page generated automatically from official sources on 2026-11-03 18:05 UTC and reviewed by an editor. Always confirm with your vendor's advisory.