How severe is CVE-2023-27486?

CVE-2023-27486 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.1, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.

Is CVE-2023-27486 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (54th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2023-27486?

CVE-2023-27486 affects Xcat Project Xcat. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2023-27486?

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-2023-27486 published?

CVE-2023-27486 was published on 2023-03-08 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2023-27486

CVE-2023-27486 is a high-severity vulnerability in Xcat Project Xcat with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.1. 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-863.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.1)
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (54th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-863
Affected product: Xcat Project Xcat
Published: 2023-03-08
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

xCAT is a toolkit for deployment and administration of computer clusters. In versions prior to 2.16.5 if zones are configured as a mechanism to secure clusters in XCAT, it is possible for a local root user from one node to obtain credentials to SSH to any node in any zone, except the management node of the default zone. XCAT zones are not enabled by default. Only users that use the optional zone feature are impacted. All versions of xCAT prior to xCAT 2.16.5 are vulnerable. This problem has been fixed in xCAT 2.16.5. Users making use of zones should upgrade to 2.16.5. Users unable to upgrade may mitigate the issue by disabling zones or patching the management node with the fix contained in commit `85149c37f49`.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-27486?: xCAT is a toolkit for deployment and administration of computer clusters. In versions prior to 2.16.5 if zones are configured as a mechanism to secure clusters in XCAT, it is possible for a local root user from one node to obtain credentials to SSH to any node in any zone, except the management node of the default zone. XCAT zones are not enabled by default. Only users that use the optional zone feature are impacted. All versions of xCAT prior to xCAT 2.16.5 are vulnerable. This problem has been fixed in xCAT 2.16.5. Users making use of zones should upgrade to 2.16.5. Users unable to upgrade may mitigate the issue by disabling zones or patching the management node with the fix contained in commit `85149c37f49`.
How severe is CVE-2023-27486?: CVE-2023-27486 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.1, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.
Is CVE-2023-27486 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (54th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-27486?: CVE-2023-27486 affects Xcat Project Xcat. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-27486?: 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-2023-27486 published?: CVE-2023-27486 was published on 2023-03-08 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:xcat_project:xcat:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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