GHSA-X7XJ-JVWP-97RV

RKE2 allows privilege escalation in Windows nodes due to Insecure Access Control Lists

A vulnerability has been identified whereby RKE2 deployments in Windows nodes have weak Access Control Lists (ACL), allowing BUILTIN\Users or NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users to view or edit sensitive files which could lead to privilege escalation.

The affected files include binaries, scripts, configuration and log files:

C:\etc\rancher\node\password
C:\var\lib\rancher\rke2\agent\logs\kubelet.log
C:\var\lib\rancher\rke2\data\v1.**.**-rke2r*-windows-amd64-*\bin\*
C:\var\lib\rancher\rke2\bin\*

This vulnerability is exclusive to RKE2 in Windows environments. Linux environments are not affected by it.

Please consult the associated MITRE ATT&CK - Technique - Exploitation for Privilege Escalation for further information about this category of attack.

The application assigns, modifies, tracks, or checks privileges incorrectly, allowing a user to gain elevated access. Typical impact: privilege escalation beyond the intended level.

GHSA-X7XJ-JVWP-97RV has a CVSS score of 9.1 (Critical). The vector is network-reachable, high 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 (1.27.15, 1.28.11, 1.29.6, 1.30.2); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

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Patched versions include RKE2 1.31.0, 1.30.2, 1.29.6, 1.28.11 and 1.27.15.

1. What is GHSA-X7XJ-JVWP-97RV? GHSA-X7XJ-JVWP-97RV is a critical-severity improper privilege management vulnerability in github.com/rancher/rke2 (go), affecting versions >= 1.27.0, < 1.27.15. It is fixed in 1.27.15, 1.28.11, 1.29.6, 1.30.2. The application assigns, modifies, tracks, or checks privileges incorrectly, allowing a user to gain elevated access.
2. How severe is GHSA-X7XJ-JVWP-97RV? GHSA-X7XJ-JVWP-97RV has a CVSS score of 9.1 (Critical). 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/rke2 are affected by GHSA-X7XJ-JVWP-97RV? github.com/rancher/rke2 (go) versions >= 1.27.0, < 1.27.15 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for GHSA-X7XJ-JVWP-97RV? Yes. GHSA-X7XJ-JVWP-97RV is fixed in 1.27.15, 1.28.11, 1.29.6, 1.30.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is GHSA-X7XJ-JVWP-97RV exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-X7XJ-JVWP-97RV 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 GHSA-X7XJ-JVWP-97RV 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 GHSA-X7XJ-JVWP-97RV?
   • Upgrade github.com/rancher/rke2 to 1.27.15 or later
   • Upgrade github.com/rancher/rke2 to 1.28.11 or later
   • Upgrade github.com/rancher/rke2 to 1.29.6 or later
   • Upgrade github.com/rancher/rke2 to 1.30.2 or later

Other vulnerabilities in github.com/rancher/rke2