CVE-2026-55997: Long-lived Rancher registration token exposed in plaintext
Rancher issues long-lived registration tokens to authenticate nodes and agents joining a downstream cluster. These tokens were stored and exposed in plaintext with no expiration, so a malicious user could obtain one either through the Rancher API, etcd, stored automation, or direct file access on a node, and could use it at any time to register a rogue node into the cluster.
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-55997?
CVE-2026-55997 has a high severity rating of 8.8.
What vulnerabilities does CVE-2026-55997 reveal?
CVE-2026-55997 exposes long-lived Rancher registration tokens in plaintext, allowing malicious users to authenticate with nodes and agents.
How do I fix CVE-2026-55997?
To fix CVE-2026-55997, you should immediately rotate any exposed registration tokens and implement token expiration policies.
What are the risks associated with CVE-2026-55997?
The risks include unauthorized access to downstream clusters and potential compromise of sensitive resources due to exposed plaintext tokens.
How can attackers exploit CVE-2026-55997?
Attackers can exploit CVE-2026-55997 by accessing the plaintext registration tokens through the Rancher API, etcd, stored automation, or direct file access.