CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2025-23389NVD status: Deferred

rancher: Improper Access Control

CVE-2025-23389 is a high-severity improper access control vulnerability in rancher from SUSE, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.4 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 2.8.13, 2.9.7, 2.10.3 as the first without the flaw, so updating rancher to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.49% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update rancher to 2.8.13 or 2.9.7 or 2.10.3, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
SUSErancher2.8.0 up to, but not including, 2.8.13; 2.9.0 up to, but not including, 2.9.7; 2.10.0 up to, but not including, 2.10.32.8.13, 2.9.7, 2.10.3

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
HighSuccess depends on conditions outside the attacker's control.
Privileges required
LowA basic user account is enough.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
LowPerformance or availability is reduced.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L. Scored by CNA (suse.de).

Official description

A Improper Access Control vulnerability in SUSE rancher allows a local user to impersonate other identities through SAML Authentication on first login. This issue affects rancher: from 2.8.0 before 2.8.13, from 2.9.0 before 2.9.7, from 2.10.0 before 2.10.3.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Improper Access Control

The product does not restrict or incorrectly restricts access to a resource from an unauthorized actor.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software.
  • Compartmentalize the system to have safe areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area. Ensure that appropriate compartmentalization is built into the system design, and the compartmentalization allows for and reinforces privilege separation functionality. Architects and designers should rely on the principle of least privilege to decide the appropriate time to use privileges and the time to drop privileges.

More Improper Access Control vulnerabilities (CWE-284)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in rancher

All rancher vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Access Control vulnerabilities

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