rancher: Incorrect Privilege Assignment
CVE-2025-23391 is a critical-severity incorrect privilege assignment vulnerability in rancher from SUSE, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with administrator privileges, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 2.8.14, 2.9.8, 2.10.4 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 0.47% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Update rancher to 2.8.14 or 2.9.8 or 2.10.4, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSE | rancher | 2.8.0 up to, but not including, 2.8.14; 2.9.0 up to, but not including, 2.9.8; 2.10.0 up to, but not including, 2.10.4 | 2.8.14, 2.9.8, 2.10.4 |
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
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- HighAdministrator-level access is required first.
- 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
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (suse.de).
Official description
A Incorrect Privilege Assignment vulnerability in SUSE rancher allows a Restricted Administrator to change the password of Administrators and take over their accounts. This issue affects rancher: from 2.8.0 before 2.8.14, from 2.9.0 before 2.9.8, from 2.10.0 before 2.10.4.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Incorrect Privilege Assignment
A product incorrectly assigns a privilege to a particular actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that 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.
- Run your code using the lowest privileges that are required to accomplish the necessary tasks. If possible, create isolated accounts with limited privileges that are only used for a single task. That way, a successful attack will not immediately give the attacker access to the rest of the software or its environment. For example, database applications rarely need to run as the database administrator, especially in day-to-day operations.
More Incorrect Privilege Assignment vulnerabilities (CWE-266)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in rancher
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.6 High severity
- 7.9 High severity
- 8.5 High severity
Recent Incorrect Privilege Assignment vulnerabilities
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.