# CVE-2023-2121: Vault’s KV Diff Viewer Allowed for HTML Injection

> Attackers can inject HTML into the Vault web UI via key values, potentially leading to session hijacking or malicious script execution.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 9 Jun 2023
- **Updated:** 6 Jan 2025
- **Also known as:** BIT-vault-2023-2121, GHSA-gq98-53rq-qr5h, GO-2023-1849

## What is CVE-2023-2121?

CVE-2023-2121 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Hashicorp Vault, published on 9 Jun 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Vault and Vault Enterprise's (Vault) key-value v2 (kv-v2) diff viewer allowed HTML injection into the Vault web UI through key values. This vulnerability, CVE-2023-2121, is fixed in Vault 1.14.0, 1.13.3, 1.12.7, and 1.11.11.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-2121?

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 | All versions | 1.11.11, 1.12.7, 1.13.3 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/vault` | Go | All versions | 1.11.11 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/vault` | Go | All versions | 1.11.11 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/vault` | Go | From 1.12.0 | 1.12.7 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/vault` | Go | From 1.12.0 | 1.12.7 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/vault` | Go | From 1.13.0 | 1.13.3 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/vault` | Go | From 1.13.0 | 1.13.3 |
| `vault` | Bitnami | All versions | 1.11.11, 1.12.7, 1.13.3 |

Products: Hashicorp Vault.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-2121?

Upgrade github.com/hashicorp/vault to a fixed version for your release line: 1.11.11, 1.12.7 or 1.13.3.

## Is CVE-2023-2121 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-2121 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-2023-2121 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-2121 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Hashicorp Vault, published on 9 Jun 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-2121 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/hashicorp/vault (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.11.11, 1.12.7, 1.13.3
- github.com/hashicorp/vault (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.11.11
- github.com/hashicorp/vault (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.11.11
- github.com/hashicorp/vault (Go): affected from 1.12.0; fixed in 1.12.7
- github.com/hashicorp/vault (Go): affected from 1.12.0; fixed in 1.12.7
- github.com/hashicorp/vault (Go): affected from 1.13.0; fixed in 1.13.3
- github.com/hashicorp/vault (Go): affected from 1.13.0; fixed in 1.13.3
- vault (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 1.11.11, 1.12.7, 1.13.3

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-2023-2121/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2121/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-2121
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-2121
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-2121

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2121/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.