CVE-2021-32001

K3s/RKE2 bootstrap data is encrypted with empty string if user does not supply a token

MEDIUM
6.5
CVSS Score
Published: July 28, 2021 at 09:25 AM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 03:52 AM UTC
3 products affected across 2 vendorsRancher RKE2Rancher K3SRancher

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Severity
MEDIUM6.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.3%

Description

K3s in SUSE Rancher allows any user with direct access to the datastore, or a copy of a datastore backup, to extract the cluster's confidential keying material (cluster certificate authority private keys, secrets encryption configuration passphrase, etc.) and decrypt it, without having to know the token value. This issue affects: SUSE Rancher K3s version v1.19.12+k3s1, v1.20.8+k3s1, v1.21.2+k3s1 and prior versions; RKE2 version v1.19.12+rke2r1, v1.20.8+rke2r1, v1.21.2+rke2r1 and prior versions.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

K3s ≤ v ≤ v1.19.12+k3s1, v1.20.8+k3s1, v1.21.2+k3s1RKE2 ≤ v ≤ v1.19.12+rke2r1, v1.20.8+rke2r1, v1.21.2+rke2r1K3sRKE2

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

References (1)

CVSS

6.5MEDIUMsuse
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
NONE
Availability
NONE
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-311NVD-CWE-Other

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