Rancher has downstream cluster privilege escalation through cluster and project role template binding (CRTB/PRTB)

Exploitation

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

CVSS

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

EPSS

• CVE-2022-31247: 1.00% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 62.86 (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 versions up to and including 2.5.15 and 2.6.6 where a flaw with authorization logic allows privilege escalation through cluster role template binding (CRTB) and project role template binding (PRTB). This issue does not affect the local cluster, it affects only downstream clusters. The vulnerability can be exploited by any user who has permissions to create/edit cluster role template bindings or project role template bindings (such as cluster-owner, manage cluster members, project-owner and manage project members) to gain owner permission in another project in the same cluster or in another project on a different downstream cluster. - The user must have kubectl access in the local cluster to exploit this scenario. - This can only be abused to gain cluster-owner permission on a different downstream cluster if the user is already cluster-owner on at least one downstream cluster. - Example of a modified CRTB (note: the clusterName points to the…

Published by the source

3 Mar 2026, 14:50 UTC

Last modified by the source

3 Mar 2026, 14:50 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 15:15 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-6x34-89p7-95wg

Preview the exact text before you copy it. Commands are read-only suggestions; review them before running anything.

# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2022-31247

Advisory: Rancher has downstream cluster privilege escalation through cluster and project role template binding (CRTB/PRTB)
IDs: CVE-2022-31247, GHSA-6x34-89p7-95wg
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2022-31247 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 15:15 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.1)
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 2.6.7, 2.5.16. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Go github.com/rancher/rancher: affected >= 2.5.0, <= 2.5.15; >= 2.6.0, <= 2.6.6; fixed in 2.6.7, 2.5.16

## 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-6x34-89p7-95wg (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-6x34-89p7-95wg lists affected ranges: Go github.com/rancher/rancher >=2.5.0 =2.6.0 <=2.6.6)

Commands are suggestions: review each one before running it.