# CVE-2021-32923: Invalid session token expiration

> Attackers can renew nearly-expired leases to bypass expiration checks, maintaining unauthorized access to secrets.

- **Severity:** High 7.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 3 Jun 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** BIT-vault-2021-32923, GHSA-38j9-7pp9-2hjw, GO-2022-0623

## What is CVE-2021-32923?

CVE-2021-32923 is a high-severity vulnerability in Hashicorp Vault, published on 3 Jun 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise allowed the renewal of nearly-expired token leases and dynamic secret leases (specifically, those within 1 second of their maximum TTL), which caused them to be incorrectly treated as non-expiring during subsequent use. Fixed in 1.5.9, 1.6.5, and 1.7.2.

Weakness: CWE-613 (DEPRECATED: Insufficient Session Expiration)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-32923?

8 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/hashicorp/vault and vault. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/hashicorp/vault` | Go | From 0.10.0 | 1.5.9, 1.6.5, 1.7.2 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/vault` | Go | From 0.10.0 | 1.5.9 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/vault` | Go | From 0.10.0 | 1.5.9 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/vault` | Go | From 1.6.0 | 1.6.5 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/vault` | Go | From 1.6.0 | 1.6.5 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/vault` | Go | From 1.7.0 | 1.7.2 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/vault` | Go | From 1.7.0 | 1.7.2 |
| `vault` | Bitnami | From 0.10.0 | 1.5.9, 1.6.5, 1.7.2 |

Products: Hashicorp Vault.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-32923?

Upgrade github.com/hashicorp/vault to a fixed version for your release line: 1.5.9, 1.6.5 or 1.7.2.

## Is CVE-2021-32923 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-32923 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Hashicorp Vault

- [CVE-2020-35192](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35192/): Hardcoded credentials in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-12757](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-12757/): Improper Input Validation in HashiCorp Vault (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-6000](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-6000/): Arbitrary Remote Code Execution via Plugin Catalog Abuse (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2022-40186](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-40186/): HashiCorp Vault vulnerable to incorrect metadata access (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2022-36129](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-36129/): Missing authorization in n/a (critical 9.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-32923 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-32923 is a high-severity vulnerability in Hashicorp Vault, published on 3 Jun 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-32923 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/hashicorp/vault (Go): affected from 0.10.0; fixed in 1.5.9, 1.6.5, 1.7.2
- github.com/hashicorp/vault (Go): affected from 0.10.0; fixed in 1.5.9
- github.com/hashicorp/vault (Go): affected from 0.10.0; fixed in 1.5.9
- github.com/hashicorp/vault (Go): affected from 1.6.0; fixed in 1.6.5
- github.com/hashicorp/vault (Go): affected from 1.6.0; fixed in 1.6.5
- github.com/hashicorp/vault (Go): affected from 1.7.0; fixed in 1.7.2
- github.com/hashicorp/vault (Go): affected from 1.7.0; fixed in 1.7.2
- vault (Bitnami): affected from 0.10.0; fixed in 1.5.9, 1.6.5, 1.7.2

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32923/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32923/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-32923
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-32923
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-32923

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32923/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.