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

Exploitation

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

CVSS 4.0

7.1 · 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 · score source

EPSS

• CVE-2024-22032: 0.38% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 31.76 (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 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: Please consult the associated MITRE ATT&CK - Technique - Unsecured…

Published by the source

17 Jun 2024, 22:30 UTC

Last modified by the source

16 Oct 2024, 17:26 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 15:05 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-q6c7-56cq-g2wm

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2024-22032

Advisory: Rancher's RKE1 Encryption Config kept in plain-text within cluster AppliedSpec
IDs: CVE-2024-22032, GHSA-q6c7-56cq-g2wm
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2024-22032 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 15:05 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.1)
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 2.8.5, 2.7.14. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Go github.com/rancher/rancher: affected >= 2.7.0, < 2.7.14; >= 2.8.0, < 2.8.5; fixed in 2.8.5, 2.7.14

## 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-q6c7-56cq-g2wm (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-q6c7-56cq-g2wm lists affected ranges: Go github.com/rancher/rancher >=2.7.0 =2.8.0 <2.8.5)

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