CVE-2023-32191Network attack vector

Cluster administrator escalation via exposed state credentials

Published Oct 16, 2024 · Updated Oct 16, 2024

Credential exposure in RKE 1.4.0 through 1.4.18 and 1.5.0 through 1.5.9 allows remote authenticated users to gain cluster admin access. RKE writes the full-cluster-state object, including private keys, passwords, and cloud credentials, to a kube-system ConfigMap readable by non-admin cluster users. Exploitation requires permission to read that ConfigMap; its administrative credentials then permit full cluster control.

CVSS severity9.9
Critical
EPSS probability0.66%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Credential exposure in RKE 1.4.0 through 1.4.18 and 1.5.0 through 1.5.9 allows remote authenticated users to gain cluster admin access. RKE writes the full-cluster-state object, including private keys, passwords, and cloud credentials, to a kube-system ConfigMap readable by non-admin cluster users. Exploitation requires permission to read that ConfigMap; its administrative credentials then permit full cluster control.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-32191
Published
Oct 16, 2024
Updated
Oct 16, 2024
Vendor
Rancher
Product
Rancher Kubernetes Engine
Classifications
CWE-922, T1552.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

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

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=1.4.18 <1.4.19
  2. Affected versionversion=1.5.9 <1.5.10

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Rancher · Rancher Kubernetes Engineversion=1.4.18 <1.4.19; version=1.5.9 <1.5.10

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-922Insecure Storage of Sensitive Information
T1552.001Unsecured Credentials: Credentials In Files

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo