CVE-2024-22032
Rancher's RKE1 Encryption Config kept in plain-text within cluster AppliedSpec
A vulnerability has been identified in which an RKE1 cluster keeps constantly reconciling when secrets encryption configuration is enabled. 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.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
7.1
Rancher's RKE1 Encryption Config kept in plain-text within cluster AppliedSpec
A vulnerability has been identified in which an RKE1 cluster keeps constantly reconciling when secrets encryption configuration is enabled. 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.
- Record
CVE-2024-22032- CVSS 4.0
- 7.1 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-200
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2024-2135
7.1
A vulnerability has been identified in which an RKE1 cluster keeps constantly reconciling when secrets encryption configuration is enabled. 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.
- Record
EUVD-2024-2135- CVSS 4.0
- 7.1 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-q6c7-56cq-g2wm
7.1
Rancher's RKE1 Encryption Config kept in plain-text within cluster AppliedSpec
Impact
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.
Patches
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.
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
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.
- Record
GHSA-q6c7-56cq-g2wm- CVSS 4.0
- 7.1 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-200, CWE-256
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
7.1
A vulnerability has been identified in which an RKE1 cluster keeps constantly reconciling when secrets encryption configuration is enabled. 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.
- Record
CVE-2024-22032- CVSS 4.0
- 7.1 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-200
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
7.1
Rancher's RKE1 Encryption Config kept in plain-text within cluster AppliedSpec
A vulnerability has been identified in which an RKE1 cluster keeps constantly reconciling when secrets encryption configuration is enabled. 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.
- Record
CVE-2024-22032- CVSS 4.0
- 7.1 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-200
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-q6c7-56cq-g2wm
7.1
Rancher's RKE1 Encryption Config kept in plain-text within cluster AppliedSpec
Impact
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.
Patches
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.
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
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.
- Record
GHSA-q6c7-56cq-g2wm- CVSS 4.0
- 7.1 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-200, CWE-256
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGO-2024-2932 No score
Rancher's RKE1 Encryption Config kept in plain-text within cluster AppliedSpec in github.com/rancher/rancher
Rancher's RKE1 Encryption Config kept in plain-text within cluster AppliedSpec in github.com/rancher/rancher.
NOTE: The source advisory for this report contains additional versions that could not be automatically mapped to standard Go module versions.
(If this is causing false-positive reports from vulnerability scanners, please suggest an edit to the report.)
The additional affected modules and versions are: github.com/rancher/rancher from v2.7.0 before v2.7.14, from v2.8.0 before v2.8.5.
- Record
GO-2024-2932- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
github.com/rancher/rancherGo |
2.7.0 up to 2.7.14 | 2.7.14 |
github.com/rancher/rancherGo |
2.8.0 up to 2.8.5 | 2.8.5 |
github.com/rancher/rancherGo |
All versions | None known |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2024-22032 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.1) in Suse Rancher, published June 17, 2024. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.38%, the 31st percentile. Fixed in github.com/rancher/rancher 2.7.14.