CVE-2023-1944

Node takeover via hard-coded SSH password

Published May 24, 2023 · Updated Jan 16, 2025

Hard-coded credentials in Kubernetes minikube 1.29.0 and earlier allow local users to gain shell access to the cluster node over SSH. The bundled node image's SSH service accepts a hard-coded default password, so an attacker needs no cluster-specific credential. Reachability requires access to the node's SSH endpoint; a successful login grants control of the node and its workloads.

CVSS severity8.4
High
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Hard-coded credentials in Kubernetes minikube 1.29.0 and earlier allow local users to gain shell access to the cluster node over SSH. The bundled node image's SSH service accepts a hard-coded default password, so an attacker needs no cluster-specific credential. Reachability requires access to the node's SSH endpoint; a successful login grants control of the node and its workloads.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-1944
Published
May 24, 2023
Updated
Jan 16, 2025
Vendor
Kubernetes
Product
minikube
Classifications
CWE-798, CWE-259, T1078.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 24, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 16, 2025Record 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=unspecified <=1.29.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Kubernetes · minikubeversion=unspecified <=1.29.0

Published CVSS scores

8.4KubernetesCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-798Use of Hard-coded Credentials
CWE-259Use of Hard-coded Password
T1078.001Valid Accounts: Default Accounts

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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