CVE-2021-36783Network attack vector

Authenticated credential disclosure via unredacted cluster objects

Published Sep 7, 2022 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Insufficiently protected credentials in Rancher 2.5.0 through 2.5.12 and 2.6.0 through 2.6.3 allow remote authenticated users to read secrets. Cluster template answers retain credential fields in plaintext when Rancher serializes and stores Clusters objects, and three cluster API endpoints return those fields without redaction. Cluster Owner, Cluster Member, Project Owner, or Project Member access is required; downstream impact is limited by the permissions granted to each exposed credential.

CVSS severity9.9
Critical
EPSS probability0.76%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Insufficiently protected credentials in Rancher 2.5.0 through 2.5.12 and 2.6.0 through 2.6.3 allow remote authenticated users to read secrets. Cluster template answers retain credential fields in plaintext when Rancher serializes and stores Clusters objects, and three cluster API endpoints return those fields without redaction. Cluster Owner, Cluster Member, Project Owner, or Project Member access is required; downstream impact is limited by the permissions granted to each exposed credential.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-36783
Published
Sep 7, 2022
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
NeuVector
Product
Rancher
Classifications
CWE-522, T1552
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 7, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=Rancher <2.5.13
  2. Affected versionversion=Rancher <2.6.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

NeuVector · Rancherversion=Rancher <2.5.13; version=Rancher <2.6.4

Published CVSS scores

9.9SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-522Insufficiently Protected Credentials
T1552Unsecured Credentials

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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