CVE-2024-9486 | VM images built with Image Builder and Proxmox provider use default credentials

A security issue was discovered in the Kubernetes Image Builder versions <= v0.1.37 where default credentials are enabled during the image build process. Virtual machine images built using the Proxmox provider do not disable these default credentials, and nodes using the resulting images may be accessible via these default credentials. The credentials can be used to gain root access. Kubernetes clusters are only affected if their nodes use VM images created via the Image Builder project with its Proxmox provider.

Published: 2024-10-15 Last update: 2026-06-17 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]
NVD Status：Analyzed，CVE State: published
View at NVD, CVE.org, EUVD

CVE-2024-9486 is rated Moderate Risk (64.5/100): CVSS Critical severity, with medium exploitation likelihood (EPSS 2.22%). Review affected assets and schedule remediation.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2024-9486

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-06-15 5.00% 2.22% -2.78%
2 2026-06-06 4.87% 5.00% +0.13%
3 2026-05-24 — 4.87% —

Full EPSS history (36 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2024-9486

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
9.8 3.1 CRITICAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
 3.9 5.9 [email protected]
9.8 3.1 CRITICAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
 3.9 5.9 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2024-9486

GitHub Security Advisory for CVE-2024-9486

GHSA-9224-ggvw-wh7v · Severity: critical · Ecosystem: go — VM images built with Image Builder and Proxmox provider use default credentials in github.com/kubernetes-sigs/image-builder

OS Trackers for CVE-2024-9486

vendor priority summary link
redhat critical — https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2024-9486
ubuntu medium CVE-2024-9486 medium priority: Ubuntu including 1 source packages (kubernetes), 5 status rows across 5 suites (focal, jammy, noble, oracular, upstream): not-affected 4, released 1. https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2024-9486

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2024-9486

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
kubernetes-sigs image_builder < 0.1.38 cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes-sigs:image_builder:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2024-9486

cvelogic Threat Intelligence