CVE-2024-22032

Rancher's RKE1 Encryption Config kept in plain-text within cluster AppliedSpec

Workarounds

There are no workarounds for this issue. Users are recommended to upgrade, as soon as possible, to a version of RKE/Rancher Manager which contains the fixes.

References

• CVE-2024-22032

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

• Reach out to the SUSE Rancher Security team for security-related inquiries.
• Open an issue in the Rancher repository.
• Verify with our support matrix and product support lifecycle.

This issue is only relevant to clusters provisioned using RKE1 with secrets encryption configuration enabled.

A vulnerability has been identified in which an RKE1 cluster keeps constantly reconciling when secrets encryption configuration is enabled (please see the RKE documentation). When reconciling, the Kube API secret values are written in plaintext on the AppliedSpec. Cluster owners, Cluster members, and Project members (for projects within the cluster), all have RBAC permissions to view the cluster object from the apiserver.

This could lead to an unauthorized user gaining access to the entire secrets encryption config specific for the cluster, only on the applied spec.

Since this affects only custom encryption configurations, users need to manually rotate the keys by editing the cluster. For more information, please refer to the RKE secrets encryption documentation.

The full custom configuration example:

services:
  kube-api:
    secrets_encryption_config:
      enabled: true
      custom_config:
        apiVersion: apiserver.config.k8s.io/v1
        kind: EncryptionConfiguration
        resources:
        - resources:
          - secrets
          providers:
          - aescbc:
              keys:
              - name: k-fw5hn
                secret: RTczRjFDODMwQzAyMDVBREU4NDJBMUZFNDhCNzM5N0I= #<--- needs to be changed
          - identity: {}

Please consult the associated MITRE ATT&CK - Technique - Unsecured Credentials for further information about this category of attack.

CVE-2024-22032 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (High). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (2.7.14, 2.8.5); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

Already deployed Kodem?

To address this issue, the fix introduces a new change that copies the AppliedSpec before mutating. As such, the next time the cluster is reconciled and the AppliedSpec is set, all references to sensitive data will be removed.

Patched versions include releases 2.7.14 and 2.8.5.

1. What is CVE-2024-22032? CVE-2024-22032 is a high-severity security vulnerability in github.com/rancher/rancher (go), affecting versions >= 2.7.0, < 2.7.14. It is fixed in 2.7.14, 2.8.5.
2. How severe is CVE-2024-22032? CVE-2024-22032 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of github.com/rancher/rancher are affected by CVE-2024-22032? github.com/rancher/rancher (go) versions >= 2.7.0, < 2.7.14 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2024-22032? Yes. CVE-2024-22032 is fixed in 2.7.14, 2.8.5. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2024-22032 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2024-22032 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2024-22032 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2024-22032?
   • Upgrade github.com/rancher/rancher to 2.7.14 or later
   • Upgrade github.com/rancher/rancher to 2.8.5 or later

Other vulnerabilities in github.com/rancher/rancher