How severe is CVE-2015-8559?

CVE-2015-8559 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2015-8559 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (78th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2015-8559?

CVE-2015-8559 affects Chef. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2015-8559?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2015-8559 published?

CVE-2015-8559 was published on 2017-09-21 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2015-8559

CVE-2015-8559 is a high-severity vulnerability in Chef with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-200.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
CVSS v2: 5.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (78th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-200
Affected product: Chef
Published: 2017-09-21
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The knife bootstrap command in chef Infra client before version 15.4.45 leaks the validator.pem private RSA key to /var/log/messages.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2015-8559?: The knife bootstrap command in chef Infra client before version 15.4.45 leaks the validator.pem private RSA key to /var/log/messages.
How severe is CVE-2015-8559?: CVE-2015-8559 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2015-8559 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (78th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2015-8559?: CVE-2015-8559 affects Chef. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2015-8559?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2015-8559 published?: CVE-2015-8559 was published on 2017-09-21 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:chef:chef:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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