CVE-2023-27486: xCAT is a toolkit for deployment and administration of computer clusters

Q: How do I fix CVE-2023-27486?

xcat: upgrade to 2.16.5. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Q: Is CVE-2023-27486 being exploited?

CVE-2023-27486 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

Q: What does CVE-2023-27486 affect?

CVE-2023-27486 affects xcat. Severity is high (CVSS 8.1). 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 credential

Q: How urgent is CVE-2023-27486?

Priority 48/100. High severity; Public exploit reference

This month

HIGH 8.1UPGRADE

CVE-2023-27486 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 8.1) affecting xcat. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

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

Why this priority

High severity
Public exploit reference

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	8.1 (High)
Attack vector	Network (remote)
Attack complexity	Low
Privileges needed	Low
User interaction	None
EPSS exploit chance	0.9% (top 42%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-863
Published	2023-03-08
Last modified	2026-06-17

Publisher (CNA): GitHub, Inc. · Vendor: xcat project

Last updated 2026-06-17 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2023-03-08 19:15 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-17 05:45 UTCUpdated Record last modified

xcat project xcat UPGRADE

Affected: < 2.16.5

Fixed in: 2.16.5

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy xcat || rpm -q xcat || xcat --version

2. UPGRADE to 2.16.5 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade xcat

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade xcat

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2023-27486?

xcat: upgrade to 2.16.5. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2023-27486 being exploited?

CVE-2023-27486 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2023-27486 affect?

CVE-2023-27486 affects xcat. Severity is high (CVSS 8.1). 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 credential

How urgent is CVE-2023-27486?

Priority 48/100. High severity; Public exploit reference

References

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