HashiCorp Vault CLI Install and GUI Setup Guide

Prerequisites

Before installing HashiCorp Vault’s CLI or setting up a GUI client, ensure your system meets the following requirements.

System Requirements

• Windows: Windows 10 or later
• macOS: macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later
• Linux: Ubuntu 18.04+, CentOS 7+, or any major Linux distribution

Required Software & Dependencies

• Admin or root access to install software and modify system paths
• A terminal or command prompt (PowerShell for Windows, Terminal for macOS/Linux)
• A web browser (if using a GUI client)
• Docker (Optional) if you prefer running the Vault GUI via a container

Installing the Vault CLI

HashiCorp Vault’s Command Line Interface (CLI) allows users to interact with the Vault server, manage secrets, configure authentication, and perform administrative tasks. Follow the installation steps for your operating system below.

Installing Vault CLI on macOS

Using Homebrew (Recommended)

1. Open the terminal and run:

brew tap hashicorp/tap
brew install hashicorp/tap/vault

2. Verify the installation:

vault -v

This should return the installed Vault version.

Manual Installation

• Download the latest macOS binary from the official Vault download page
• Extract the downloaded ZIP file
• Move the binary to /usr/local/bin/:

sudo mv vault /usr/local/bin/

Installing Vault CLI on Windows

Using Chocolatey (Recommended)

1. Open PowerShell as an administrator and run:

choco install vault

2. Verify the installation:

vault -v

Installing Vault CLI on Linux

Using a Package Manager (Ubuntu/Debian)

Run the following commands:

curl -fsSL https://apt.releases.hashicorp.com/gpg | sudo apt-key add -
sudo apt-add-repository "deb [arch=amd64] https://apt.releases.hashicorp.com $(lsb_release -cs) main"
sudo apt update && sudo apt install vault

Verifying the Installation

After installing the Vault CLI, it’s important to verify that everything is set up correctly before proceeding with further configurations.

Check the Installed Version

To ensure Vault was installed successfully, open a terminal or command prompt and run:

vault -v

This should return output similar to: Vault v1.x.x (latest version)

Start the Vault Development Server

To quickly check if Vault runs correctly, start a development server:

vault server -dev

You should see output indicating that Vault is running in development mode. The server will also display a Root Token, which is needed for authentication.

Installing a GUI Client

While the Vault CLI provides powerful functionality, a Graphical User Interface (GUI) client offers a more user-friendly way to interact with HashiCorp Vault, especially for those who prefer visual management of secrets, policies, and authentication settings.

Using the Built-in Vault Web UI (Recommended)

HashiCorp provides an official web-based UI that is included with Vault. To enable it, follow these steps:

Step 1: Start Vault with the UI Enabled

Run the following command to launch Vault with the web UI:

vault server -dev -dev-ui

The output should indicate that the UI is enabled and accessible at: http://127.0.0.1:8200/ui

Step 2: Access the Web UI

• Open a web browser and go to http://127.0.0.1:8200/ui
• Log in using the Root Token displayed when starting the Vault development server
• Once logged in, you’ll see the Vault dashboard where you can manage secrets, policies, and authentication settings

Security Best Practices

HashiCorp Vault is designed to secure sensitive data, but improper configuration can leave it vulnerable. Follow these best practices to enhance security and minimize risks.

Enable TLS Encryption

By default, Vault runs over HTTP, which is insecure. To enable HTTPS:

• Obtain an SSL certificate (self-signed or from a trusted CA)
• Modify the Vault configuration file (config.hcl)
• Restart Vault to apply the changes

Enable Audit Logging

To track access and changes in Vault:

vault audit enable file path=/var/log/vault_audit.log

This helps detect unauthorized access attempts and maintain compliance.