[INFO ] core: security barrier not initialized

Vault
1

I am using vault version 1.8.4.
I am using file system as backend.
I have setup the machine on January 2023. It was working till 15th March 2023.
Suddenly one day it come with an issue. [INFO ] core: security barrier not initialized

Please help me to understand, what could be the reason?

vaultCore - Copy
vaultCore - Copy979×324 47 KB

2

Please post the output of

ls -l /path-to-your-vault-storage-directory/core
3

Thank you for your response.
Please find the outcome of above command

./core:
total 48
-rw------- 1 gehc_security gehc_security 133 Oct 1 2021 _audit
-rw------- 1 gehc_security gehc_security 513 Oct 1 2021 _auth
-rw------- 1 gehc_security gehc_security 133 Oct 1 2021 _local-audit
-rw------- 1 gehc_security gehc_security 133 Oct 1 2021 _local-auth
-rw------- 1 gehc_security gehc_security 417 Oct 1 2021 _local-mounts
-rw------- 1 gehc_security gehc_security 209 Mar 14 21:24 _master
-rw------- 1 gehc_security gehc_security 793 Oct 1 2021 _mounts
-rw------- 1 gehc_security gehc_security 169 Oct 1 2021 _seal-config
-rw------- 1 gehc_security gehc_security 101 Oct 1 2021 _shamir-kek
drwx------ 3 gehc_security gehc_security 4096 Oct 1 2021 cluster
drwx------ 2 gehc_security gehc_security 4096 Oct 1 2021 hsm
drwx------ 2 gehc_security gehc_security 4096 Oct 1 2021 wrapping

4

From the absence of a _keyring file in this listing, I can infer that you have been bitten by a bug in the file storage backend.

Unfortunately, the loss of the keyring causes a total loss of all Vault data, since it can no longer be decrypted. The only way forward is to set up a new Vault from scratch.

The bug is https://github.com/hashicorp/vault/pull/15946, fixed in 1.12.0 and backported into various patch releases of earlier versions.

5

Thank you for this information!!

I understood the keyring file will be deleted by vault due to its size is zero.
Can you help me to understand

  • When _keyring file is opened with os.O_TRUNC?
  • When Vault is updating keyring file, in which scenario?
  • Is it possible to reproduce the same issue, any specific steps available?
6

Hi Team,
I know that the issue fixed in 1.12.0 and backported into various patch releases of earlier versions.

Can anyone please confirm it is backported and fixed in version 1.11.1.?
Or
How can I confirm the same ?

Thanks,
Bitto