CVE-2024-7594Network attack vector

Arbitrary-user SSH access via empty principals

Published Sep 26, 2024 · Updated Jan 10, 2025

Authentication bypass in HashiCorp Vault allows remote authenticated users to access SSH hosts as any user through crafted certificates. The SSH secrets engine signs a certificate with an empty valid-principals list when neither valid_principals nor default_user is set, making it valid for every principal. The attacker needs certificate-signing permission and a host that trusts the Vault SSH CA; successful use grants the target account's SSH access.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Authentication bypass in HashiCorp Vault allows remote authenticated users to access SSH hosts as any user through crafted certificates. The SSH secrets engine signs a certificate with an empty valid-principals list when neither valid_principals nor default_user is set, making it valid for every principal. The attacker needs certificate-signing permission and a host that trusts the Vault SSH CA; successful use grants the target account's SSH access.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-7594
Published
Sep 26, 2024
Updated
Jan 10, 2025
Vendor
HashiCorp
Product
Vault
Classifications
CWE-732, T1078
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 26, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 10, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=1.7.7 <1.17.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

HashiCorp · Vaultversion=1.7.7 <1.17.6
HashiCorp · Vault Community Editionversion=1.7.7 <1.17.6
HashiCorp · Vault Enterpriseversion=1.15.14; version=1.16.9; version=1.7.7 <1.17.6; version=1.7.7 <1.17.6 changes=[{"at":"1.16.10","status":"unaffected"},{"at":"1.15.15","status":"unaffected"}]

Published CVSS scores

7.5HashiCorp Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-732Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
T1078Valid Accounts

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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