# CVE-2023-0690: Boundary Workers Store Rotated Credentials in Plaintext Even When a Key Management Service Configured

> Attackers with disk access can read plaintext credentials from HashiCorp Boundary workers when KMS encryption fails during rotation.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 8 Feb 2023
- **Updated:** 24 Mar 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9vrm-v9xv-x3xr, GO-2023-1898

## What is CVE-2023-0690?

CVE-2023-0690 is a medium-severity vulnerability in HashiCorp Boundary, published on 8 Feb 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

HashiCorp Boundary from 0.10.0 through 0.11.2 contain an issue where when using a PKI-based worker with a Key Management Service (KMS) defined in the configuration file, new credentials created after an automatic rotation may not have been encrypted via the intended KMS. This would result in the credentials being stored in plaintext on the Boundary PKI worker’s disk.

This issue is fixed in version 0.12.0.

Weakness: CWE-311 (Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data), CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-0690?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/hashicorp/boundary. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/hashicorp/boundary` | Go | From 0.10.0 | 0.12.0 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/boundary` | Go | From 0.10.0 | 0.12.0 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/boundary` | Go | From 0.10.0 | 0.12.0 |

Products: Hashicorp Boundary.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-0690?

Upgrade github.com/hashicorp/boundary to 0.12.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2023-0690 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-0690 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in HashiCorp Boundary

- [CVE-2022-36130](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-36130/): Privilege escalation in n/a (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2024-1052](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-1052/): Boundary Vulnerable to Session Hijacking Through TLS Certificate Tampering (high 8.0)
- [CVE-2022-36182](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-36182/): Hashicorp Boundary vulnerable to clickjacking (medium 6.1)
- [CVE-2024-12289](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-12289/): Boundary Controller Incorrectly Handles HTTP Requests On Initialization Which May Lead to a Denial of Service (medium 5.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-0690 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-0690 is a medium-severity vulnerability in HashiCorp Boundary, published on 8 Feb 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-0690 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/hashicorp/boundary (Go): affected from 0.10.0; fixed in 0.12.0
- github.com/hashicorp/boundary (Go): affected from 0.10.0; fixed in 0.12.0
- github.com/hashicorp/boundary (Go): affected from 0.10.0; fixed in 0.12.0

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-2023-0690/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0690/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-0690
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-0690
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-0690

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0690/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.