HashiCorp Vault Releases
Track HashiCorp Vault releases, OSS vs Enterprise comparison, secrets engine evolution, authentication method support, and upgrade guidance.
—
Total Versions
—
Supported
—
Latest
Version Timeline
All tracked releases with lifecycle status and EOL dates.
Loading version data…
Lifecycle Timeline
Visual overview of active support and maintenance windows.
Upgrade Paths
Migration guidance between major versions — breaking changes, effort estimates, and tips.
Breaking Changes
- BSL license change (1.14+)
- Deprecated auth method configurations removed
- Activity log format changes
- Secrets engine mount configuration stricter
- Raft autopilot behavior changes
- Token format changes in some edge cases
Migration Notes
Upgrade one minor version at a time. Back up the storage backend before each hop. The biggest non-technical change is the BSL license starting in 1.14. If you are auto-deploying from GitHub, your automation may need to accept the new license. Read the upgrade notes for each version: Vault occasionally changes default behavior for security hardening.
Breaking Changes
- New default audit log format options
- Enhanced PKI secrets engine behavior
- Updated Kubernetes auth method defaults
Migration Notes
Recent minor upgrades are smooth. Back up storage, upgrade standby nodes, step down active, upgrade active. Verify seal status and auth method connectivity after upgrade.
Version Risk Assessment
Evaluate risk factors before choosing a version for production.
| Version | EOL Risk | CVE Risk | Ecosystem | Cloud Support | Overall | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HashiCorp Vault 1.13 and older | Critical | Critical | Unsupported | None | Critical | No patches for your secrets manager — upgrade NOW |
| HashiCorp Vault 1.14/1.15 | Critical | High | Unsupported | Degrading | Critical | Past EOL — known CVEs unpatched |
| HashiCorp Vault 1.16 | Medium | Low | Maintenance | Full | Medium | Security-only — plan upgrade |
| HashiCorp Vault 1.17 | Low | Low | Active | Full | Low | Supported — keep patched |
| HashiCorp Vault 1.18 | None | Low | Active | Full | Low | Latest — recommended |
Vault manages secrets and credentials. Running unsupported versions is a critical security risk. HashiCorp patches the latest 3 minor versions. Assessed March 2026.
Vault Version Feature Comparison
Side-by-side feature differences across major versions.
| Feature | 1.14 | 1.15 | 1.16 | 1.17 | 1.18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| License | BSL 1.1 | BSL 1.1 | BSL 1.1 | BSL 1.1 | BSL 1.1 |
| Secrets sync (Enterprise) | No | Beta | Stable | Enhanced | Enhanced |
| PKI improvements | ACME beta | ACME stable | Enhanced | Enhanced | Enhanced |
| Kubernetes auth | Stable | Stable | Enhanced | Enhanced | Enhanced |
| Transit auto-key rotation | Stable | Stable | Enhanced | Enhanced | Enhanced |
| Audit log streaming | Basic | Improved | Improved | Enhanced | Enhanced |
| Raft performance | Stable | Improved | Improved | Enhanced | Enhanced |
| Event system | No | Alpha | Beta | Stable | Enhanced |
| Plugin versioning | Beta | Stable | Stable | Stable | Stable |
Embed Badges
Add live HashiCorp Vault status badges to your README, docs, or dashboard.
Health Status
Overall support health
EOL Countdown
Next end-of-life date
Latest Version
Current stable release
CVE Status
Known vulnerabilities
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about HashiCorp Vault releases and lifecycle.