Authenticated user can gain unauthorized shell pod and kubectl access in the local cluster

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

7.4 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L

EPSS

• CVE-2022-21953: 0.47% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 40.67 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Impact An issue was discovered in Rancher where an authorization logic flaw allows an authenticated user on any downstream cluster to (1) open a shell pod in the Rancher local cluster and (2) have limited kubectl access to it. The expected behavior is that a user does not have such access in the Rancher local cluster unless explicitly granted. This issue does not allow the user to escalate privileges in the local cluster directly (this would require another vulnerability to be exploited). The security issue happens in two different ways: 1. Shell pod access - This is when a user opens a shell pod in the Rancher UI to a downstream cluster that the user has permission to access. The web request can be intercepted using the browser's web inspector/network console or a proxy tool to change the shell's destination to the Rancher local cluster instead of the desired downstream cluster. - This flaw cannot be exploited to access a downstream cluster that the user has no permissions to. - The…

Published by the source

25 Jan 2023, 19:36 UTC

Last modified by the source

7 Feb 2023, 15:49 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 14:55 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-g25r-gvq3-wrq7

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2022-21953

Advisory: Authenticated user can gain unauthorized shell pod and kubectl access in the local cluster
IDs: CVE-2022-21953, GHSA-g25r-gvq3-wrq7
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2022-21953 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 14:55 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.4)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: github.com/rancher/rancher 2.7.1, 2.6.10, 2.5.17. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Go github.com/rancher/rancher: affected >= 2.5.0, < 2.5.17; >= 2.6.0, < 2.6.10; >= 2.7.0, < 2.7.1; fixed in 2.7.1, 2.5.17, 2.6.10

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Go github.com/rancher/rancher: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on github.com/rancher/rancher.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-g25r-gvq3-wrq7 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-g25r-gvq3-wrq7 lists affected ranges: Go github.com/rancher/rancher >=2.5.0 =2.6.0 =2.7.0 <2.7.1)

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