CVE-2023-32199: Github.com/rancher/rancher Rancher User Retains Access To Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-j4vr-pcmw-hx59
CVSS 4.3
CWE-281
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2023-32199 is a MODERATE (CVSS 4.3) rancher user retains access to vulnerability (CWE-281: Improper Preservation of Permissions) affecting Github.com/rancher/rancher libraries in the Go ecosystem. The issue involves rancher user retains access to clusters despite global role removal. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 0.0.0-20251014212116-7faa74a968c2.

CVE-2023-32199 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2023-32199
GHSA Identifier GHSA-j4vr-pcmw-hx59
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 4.3
CWE Classification CWE-281: Improper Preservation of Permissions
Affected Product Github.com/rancher/rancher
Package Ecosystem Go
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 4.3

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required High (PR:H)
User Interaction Required (UI:R)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality Low (C:L)
Integrity Low (I:L)
Availability Low (A:L)

How to Fix CVE-2023-32199

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Github.com/rancher/rancher dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

github.com/rancher/rancher fixed: 0.0.0-20251014212116-7faa74a968c2
Upgrade github.com/rancher/rancher to 0.0.0-20251014212116-7faa74a968c2
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:

inspect dependencies for github.com/rancher/rancher

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2023-32199, inspect your project dependencies for Github.com/rancher/rancher:

inspect dependencies for github.com/rancher/rancher

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Github.com/rancher/rancher in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 0.0.0-20251014212116-7faa74a968c2), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-281: Improper Preservation of Permissions, where the product does not preserve permissions or incorrectly preserves permissions when copying, restoring, or sharing objects, which can cause them to have less restrictive permissions than intended. In Github.com/rancher/rancher, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

### Impact A vulnerability has been identified within Rancher Manager, where after removing a custom GlobalRole that gives administrative access or the corresponding binding, the user still retains access to clusters. This only affects custom Global Roles that: - Have a `*` on `*` in `*` rule for resources - Have a `*` on `*` rule for non-resource URLs For example ```yaml apiVersion: management.cattle.io/v3 kind: GlobalRole metadata: name: custom-admin rules: - apiGroups: - '*' resources: - '*' verbs: - '*' - nonResourceURLs: - '*' verbs: - '*' ``` Specifically: - When a user is bound to a custom admin `GlobalRole`, a corresponding `ClusterRoleBinding` is created on all clusters that binds them to the cluster-admin `ClusterRole`. - When such a `GlobalRole` or the `GlobalRoleBinding` (e.g., when the user is unassigned from this role in UI) is deleted, the `ClusterRoleBinding` that binds them to the cluster-admin ClusterRole stays behind. This issue allows a user to continue having access to clusters after they have been unassigned from the custom admin global role or the role has been deleted. Please consult the associated [MITRE ATT&CK - Technique - Account Access Removal](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1531/) for further information about this category of attack. ### Patches This vulnerability is addressed by removing the corresponding `ClusterRoleBindings` whenever the admin `GlobalRole` or its `GlobalRoleBindings` are deleted. Previously orphaned `ClusterRoleBindings` are marked with the annotation `authz.cluster.cattle.io/admin-globalrole-missing=true` and should be deleted manually. Orphaned ClusterRoleBindings can be listed with: ``` kubectl get clusterrolebinding -o jsonpath='{range .items[?(@.metadata.annotations.authz\.cluster\.cattle\.io/admin-globalrole-missing=="true")]}{.metadata.name}{"\n"}{end}' ``` Patched versions of Rancher include releases `v2.12.3`, `v2.11.7`. Complications with the restricted admin functionality prevented the patches from being included in `v2.10` and `v2.9`. ### Workarounds If the deployment can't be upgraded to a fixed version, users are advised to manually identify the orphaned `ClusterRoleBindings` and remove them. ### References If you have any questions or comments about this advisory: - Contact the [SUSE Rancher Security team](https://github.com/rancher/rancher/security/policy) for security related inquiries. - Open an issue in the [Rancher](https://github.com/rancher/rancher/issues/new/choose) repository. - Verify with our [support matrix](https://www.suse.com/suse-rancher/support-matrix/all-supported-versions/) and [product support lifecycle](https://www.suse.com/lifecycle/).

CVE-2023-32199 Affected Github.com/rancher/rancher Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
0.0.0-20251014212116-7faa74a968c2
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
github.com/rancher/rancher
Go
< 0.0.0-20251014212116-7faa74a968c2
0.0.0-20251014212116-7faa74a968c2

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-32199?
CVE-2023-32199 is a security vulnerability in Github.com/rancher/rancher involving Rancher user retains access to clusters despite Global Role removal under CWE-281: Improper Preservation of Permissions.
Which Github.com/rancher/rancher versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 0.0.0-20251014212116-7faa74a968c2 across affected packages: github.com/rancher/rancher.
What version fixes CVE-2023-32199?
Upgrading to 0.0.0-20251014212116-7faa74a968c2 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is github.com/rancher/rancher affected?
Yes, github.com/rancher/rancher is affected in releases prior to 0.0.0-20251014212116-7faa74a968c2. Upgrade your dependency to 0.0.0-20251014212116-7faa74a968c2 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2023-32199?
CVE-2023-32199 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 4.3 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2023-32199?
CVE-2023-32199 is classified under CWE-281: Improper Preservation of Permissions (The product does not preserve permissions or incorrectly preserves permissions when copying, restoring, or sharing objects, which can cause them to have less restrictive permissions than intended.).
How can I check Go dependencies for CVE-2023-32199?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for github.com/rancher/rancher'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-j4vr-pcmw-hx59",
  "modified" : "2025-10-29T15:42:32Z",
  "published" : "2025-10-24T15:06:51Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2023-32199" ],
  "summary" : "Rancher user retains access to clusters despite Global Role removal",
  "details" : "### Impact\nA vulnerability has been identified within Rancher Manager, where after removing a custom GlobalRole that gives administrative access or the corresponding binding, the user still retains access to clusters.\nThis only affects custom Global Roles that:\n- Have a `*` on `*` in `*` rule for resources\n- Have a `*` on `*` rule for non-resource URLs\n\nFor example\n```yaml\napiVersion: management.cattle.io/v3\nkind: GlobalRole\nmetadata:\n  name: custom-admin\nrules:\n  - apiGroups:\n      - '*'\n    resources:\n      - '*'\n    verbs:\n      - '*'\n  - nonResourceURLs:\n      - '*'\n    verbs:\n      - '*'\n```\n\nSpecifically:\n- When a user is bound to a custom admin `GlobalRole`, a corresponding `ClusterRoleBinding` is created on all clusters that binds them to the cluster-admin `ClusterRole`.\n- When such a `GlobalRole` or the `GlobalRoleBinding` (e.g., when the user is unassigned from this role in UI) is deleted, the `ClusterRoleBinding` that binds them to the cluster-admin ClusterRole stays behind.\n\nThis issue allows a user to continue having access to clusters after they have been unassigned from the custom admin global role or the role has been deleted.\n\nPlease consult the associated  [MITRE ATT&CK - Technique - Account Access Removal](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1531/) for further information about this category of attack.\n\n### Patches\nThis vulnerability is addressed by removing the corresponding `ClusterRoleBindings` whenever the admin `GlobalRole` or its `GlobalRoleBindings` are deleted. Previously orphaned `ClusterRoleBindings` are marked with the annotation `authz.cluster.cattle.io/admin-globalrole-missing=true` and should be deleted manually.\n\nOrphaned ClusterRoleBindings can be listed with:\n```\nkubectl get clusterrolebinding -o jsonpath='{range .items[?(@.metadata.annotations.authz\\.cluster\\.cattle\\.io/admin-globalrole-missing==\"true\")]}{.metadata.name}{\"\\n\"}{end}'\n```\n\nPatched versions of Rancher include releases `v2.12.3`, `v2.11.7`.\n\nComplications with the restricted admin functionality prevented the patches from being included in `v2.10` and `v2.9`.\n\n### Workarounds\nIf the deployment can't be upgraded to a fixed version, users are advised to manually identify the orphaned `ClusterRoleBindings` and remove them.\n\n### References\nIf you have any questions or comments about this advisory:\n- Contact the [SUSE Rancher Security team](https://github.com/rancher/rancher/security/policy) for security related inquiries.\n- Open an issue in the [Rancher](https://github.com/rancher/rancher/issues/new/choose) repository.\n- Verify with our [support matrix](https://www.suse.com/suse-rancher/support-matrix/all-supported-versions/) and [product support lifecycle](https://www.suse.com/lifecycle/).",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/rancher/rancher"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "0.0.0-20251014212116-7faa74a968c2"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/rancher/rancher/security/advisories/GHSA-j4vr-pcmw-hx59"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-32199"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/rancher/rancher/pull/52303"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2023-32199"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/rancher/rancher"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-281" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2025-10-24T15:06:51Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2025-10-29T15:15:40Z"
  }
}