# CVE-2023-20859: Spring Vault vulnerable to insertion of sensitive information into a log file

> Attackers can read sensitive information from log files when Spring Vault revokes batch tokens, requiring an upgrade to secure the application.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 23 Mar 2023
- **Updated:** 25 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-r47r-87p9-8jh3

## What is CVE-2023-20859?

CVE-2023-20859 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Spring Vault, Spring Cloud Vault, Spring Cloud Config, published on 23 Mar 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In Spring Vault, versions 3.0.x prior to 3.0.2 and versions 2.3.x prior to 2.3.3 and older versions, an application is vulnerable to insertion of sensitive information into a log file when it attempts to revoke a Vault batch token.

Weakness: CWE-532 (Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-20859?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.springframework.vault:spring-vault-core. It affects 3 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `org.springframework.vault:spring-vault-core` | Maven | All versions | 2.3.3 |
| `org.springframework.vault:spring-vault-core` | Maven | All versions | 2.3.3 |
| `org.springframework.vault:spring-vault-core` | Maven | From 3.0.0 | 3.0.2 |
| `org.springframework.vault:spring-vault-core` | Maven | From 3.0.0 | 3.0.2 |

Products: Vmware Spring Cloud Config, Vmware Spring Cloud Vault, Vmware Spring Vault.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-20859?

Upgrade org.springframework.vault:spring-vault-core to a fixed version for your release line: 2.3.3 or 3.0.2.

## Is CVE-2023-20859 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20859 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Spring Vault, Spring Cloud Vault, Spring Cloud Config

- [CVE-2020-5410](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5410/): VMware Tanzu Spring Cloud Config Directory Traversal (high 7.5, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-40982](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-40982/): Spring Cloud Config vulnerable to Path Traversal (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2026-22739](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-22739/): Spring Cloud Config Profile Substitution Can Allow Unintended Access To Files And Enable SSRF Attacks (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2026-40981](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-40981/): Spring Cloud Config has an Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2026-41002](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-41002/): Spring Cloud Config Server Susceptible To TOCTOU Attack (high 7.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-20859 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-20859 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Spring Vault, Spring Cloud Vault, Spring Cloud Config, published on 23 Mar 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20859 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- org.springframework.vault:spring-vault-core (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 2.3.3
- org.springframework.vault:spring-vault-core (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 2.3.3
- org.springframework.vault:spring-vault-core (Maven): affected from 3.0.0; fixed in 3.0.2
- org.springframework.vault:spring-vault-core (Maven): affected from 3.0.0; fixed in 3.0.2

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-2023-20859/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20859/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-20859
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20859
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-20859

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20859/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.