Install HashiCorp Vault on Ubuntu

What is Vault

Vault stores and controls secrets such as passwords, API keys and certificates.

Step 1: Prepare the system

sudo apt update

sudo apt install gpg

Step 2: Add the signing key

wget -O- https://apt.releases.hashicorp.com/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/hashicorp-archive-keyring.gpg

• wget -O- downloads the key and prints it.
• gpg --dearmor converts it to a keyring format.
• -o saves it as hashicorp-archive-keyring.gpg.

Step 3: Check the key

gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring /usr/share/keyrings/hashicorp-archive-keyring.gpg --fingerprint

Compare the fingerprint with the one on the HashiCorp website.

Step 4: Add the repository

echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/hashicorp-archive-keyring.gpg] https://apt.releases.hashicorp.com $(lsb_release -cs) main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/hashicorp.list

This adds the repository and tells apt to trust only packages signed with the key.

Step 5: Install Vault

sudo apt update
sudo apt install vault

Step 6: Check it

vault --version

Quick recap

• Add the key and the repository, then sudo apt install vault.
• Check with vault --version.