CVE-2025-6000Network attack vector

Privileged host code execution via audit-file planting

Published Aug 1, 2025 · Updated Aug 1, 2025

Code injection in HashiCorp Vault before 1.20.1 and affected Vault Enterprise releases allows remote authenticated users to execute host code. The file audit device writes operator-controlled bytes into a configured plugin directory, while sys/audit-hash reveals the digest needed to register and run that file as an external plugin. Exploitation requires root-namespace write access to sys/audit and a configured plugin directory, and grants code execution on the underlying host.

CVSS severity9.1
Critical
EPSS probability0.91%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Code injection in HashiCorp Vault before 1.20.1 and affected Vault Enterprise releases allows remote authenticated users to execute host code. The file audit device writes operator-controlled bytes into a configured plugin directory, while sys/audit-hash reveals the digest needed to register and run that file as an external plugin. Exploitation requires root-namespace write access to sys/audit and a configured plugin directory, and grants code execution on the underlying host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-6000
Published
Aug 1, 2025
Updated
Aug 1, 2025
Vendor
HashiCorp
Product
Vault
Classifications
CWE-94, CAPEC-549, T1210
Attack vector
network
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 1, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 1, 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=0.8.0 <1.20.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

HashiCorp · Vaultversion=0.8.0 <1.20.1
HashiCorp · Vault Enterpriseversion=0.8.0 <1.20.1 changes=[{"at":"1.19.7","status":"unaffected"},{"at":"1.18.12","status":"unaffected"},{"at":"1.16.23","status":"unaffected"}]

Published CVSS scores

9.1HashiCorpCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code (Code Injection)
CAPEC-549Local Execution of Code
T1210Exploitation of Remote Services

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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