---
title: "CVE-2021-36783: Rancher doesn't properly sanitize credentials in cluster template answers"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2021-36783/
description: "CVE-2021-36783 (github.com/rancher/rancher (Go)): A Insufficiently Protected Credentials vulnerability in SUSE Rancher allows authenticated Cluster Owners…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2022-09-07
date_modified: 2026-03-03
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2021-36783"
kev: false
cvss: 9.9
epss: 0.00779
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2021-36783: Rancher doesn't properly sanitize credentials in cluster template answers

**Signal:** Critical, preconditions apply. Severe if exploited, but exploitation needs conditions that may not apply to you. (Computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS; not an editorial verdict.)

## Should you act?

- No confirmed exploitation. It is not in CISA’s KEV catalog. That can change quickly after a public write-up; re-check if you are affected.
- EPSS 0.8% , percentile 55: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.8% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 55% of all scored CVEs (moderate). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Needs an account (low (any account)). Exposure depends on who can log in.
- Only applies if your dependency tree includes github.com/rancher/rancher (Go) >= 2.5.0, <= 2.5.12, fixed in 2.5.13 ; github.com/rancher/rancher (Go) >= 2.6.0, <= 2.6.3, fixed in 2.6.4 . Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

## What it is

A Insufficiently Protected Credentials vulnerability in SUSE Rancher allows authenticated Cluster Owners, Cluster Members, Project Owners and Project Members to read credentials, passwords and API tokens that have been stored in cleartext and exposed via API endpoints. This issue affects: SUSE Rancher Rancher versions prior to 2.6.4; Rancher versions prior to 2.5.13.

## Affected packages

- Go `github.com/rancher/rancher` >= 2.5.0, <= 2.5.12 → fixed: 2.5.13
- Go `github.com/rancher/rancher` >= 2.6.0, <= 2.6.3 → fixed: 2.6.4

## Affected products (CVE record)

- SUSE Rancher: Rancher < 2.6.4
- SUSE Rancher: Rancher < 2.5.13

## Severity

- suse CVSS 3.1: 9.9 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`
- GitHub CVSS 3.1: 9.9 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`

## Exploitation

- CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 0.78% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 55.

## Sources

- [GitHub Advisory GHSA-8w87-58w6-hfv8](https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-8w87-58w6-hfv8)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2021-36783](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-36783)
- [NVD entry CVE-2021-36783](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-36783)
- [bugzilla.suse.com](https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1193990)
- [github.com](https://github.com/rancher/rancher/security/advisories/GHSA-8w87-58w6-hfv8)

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Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2021-36783/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt