CVE-2019-11253: Kubernetes API Server JSON/YAML parsing vulnerable to resource exhaustion attack

Published Sep 27, 2019
·
Updated

A flaw was found kubernetes. The parsing of YAML manifests by the Kubernetes API server could lead to a denial-of-service attack leaving it vulnerable to an instance of a "billion laughs" attack. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to system availability.

Other sources

Improper input validation in the Kubernetes API server in versions v1.0-1.12 and versions prior to v1.13.12, v1.14.8, v1.15.5, and v1.16.2 allows authorized users to send malicious YAML or JSON payloads, causing the API server to consume excessive CPU or memory, potentially crashing and becoming unavailable. Prior to v1.14.0, default RBAC policy authorized anonymous users to submit requests that could trigger this vulnerability. Clusters upgraded from a version prior to v1.14.0 keep the more permissive policy by default for backwards compatibility.

The parsing of YAML manifests by the Kubernetes API server could lead to a denial-of-service attack against a cluster’s Kubernetes API service, therefore leaving it vulnerable to an instance of a “billion laughs” attack.

Upstream Issue:

https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/issues/83253

Reference:

https://www.stackrox.com/post/2019/09/protecting-kubernetes-api-against-cve-2019-11253-billion-laughs-attack/

— Red Hat

Affected Software

51 affected componentsFixes available
go/k8s.io/kubernetes>=1.16.0<1.16.2
1.16.2
go/k8s.io/kubernetes>=1.15.0<1.15.5
1.15.5
go/k8s.io/kubernetes>=1.14.0<1.14.8
1.14.8
go/k8s.io/kubernetes>=1.0.0<1.13.12
1.13.12
redhat/jaeger<0:v1.13.1.redhat5-1.el7
0:v1.13.1.redhat5-1.el7
redhat/jaeger-operator<0:v1.13.1.redhat8-1.el7
0:v1.13.1.redhat8-1.el7
redhat/kiali<0:v1.0.7.redhat1-1.el7
0:v1.0.7.redhat1-1.el7
redhat/servicemesh<0:1.0.2-3.el8
0:1.0.2-3.el8
redhat/servicemesh-cni<0:1.0.2-3.el8
0:1.0.2-3.el8
redhat/servicemesh-grafana<0:6.2.2-24.el8
0:6.2.2-24.el8
redhat/servicemesh-operator<0:1.0.2-7.el8
0:1.0.2-7.el8
redhat/servicemesh-prometheus<0:2.7.2-25.el8
0:2.7.2-25.el8
redhat/servicemesh-proxy<0:1.0.2-3.el8
0:1.0.2-3.el8
redhat/servicemesh-grafana<0:6.2.2-38.el8
0:6.2.2-38.el8
redhat/servicemesh-prometheus<0:2.7.2-36.el8
0:2.7.2-36.el8
redhat/servicemesh-cni<0:1.0.11-1.el8
0:1.0.11-1.el8
redhat/servicemesh-operator<0:1.1.4-3.el8
0:1.1.4-3.el8
redhat/servicemesh-grafana<0:6.4.3-11.el8
0:6.4.3-11.el8
redhat/servicemesh-cni<0:1.1.4-2.el8
0:1.1.4-2.el8
redhat/atomic-openshift<0:3.10.181-1.git.0.3ab4b3d.el7
0:3.10.181-1.git.0.3ab4b3d.el7
redhat/atomic-openshift<0:3.11.154-1.git.0.7a097ad.el7
0:3.11.154-1.git.0.7a097ad.el7
redhat/atomic-openshift<0:3.9.102-1.git.0.6411f52.el7
0:3.9.102-1.git.0.6411f52.el7
redhat/openshift<0:4.1.20-201910101746.git.0.a80aad5.el8
0:4.1.20-201910101746.git.0.a80aad5.el8
Kubernetes kubernetes>=1.1.0<=1.12.10
Kubernetes kubernetes>=1.13.0<1.13.2
Kubernetes kubernetes>=1.14.0<1.14.8
Kubernetes kubernetes>=1.15.0<1.15.5
Kubernetes kubernetes>=1.16.0<1.16.2
redhat OpenShift Container Platform=3.9
redhat OpenShift Container Platform=3.10
redhat OpenShift Container Platform=3.11
IBM Edge Application Manager<=4.5
Kubernetes kubernetes>=1.13.0<1.13.12
redhat/kubernetes<1.13.12
1.13.12
redhat/kubernetes<1.14.8
1.14.8
redhat/kubernetes<1.15.5
1.15.5
redhat/kubernetes<1.16.2
1.16.2
alpine/containerd<1.3.3-r0
1.3.3-r0
alpine/containerd<1.3.3-r0
1.3.3-r0
alpine/containerd<1.3.3-r0
1.3.3-r0
alpine/containerd<1.3.3-r0
1.3.3-r0
alpine/containerd<1.3.3-r0
1.3.3-r0
alpine/containerd<1.3.3-r0
1.3.3-r0
alpine/containerd<1.3.3-r0
1.3.3-r0
alpine/containerd<1.3.3-r0
1.3.3-r0
alpine/containerd<1.3.3-r0
1.3.3-r0
alpine/containerd<1.3.3-r0
1.3.3-r0
alpine/containerd<1.3.3-r0
1.3.3-r0
alpine/containerd<1.3.3-r0
1.3.3-r0
alpine/containerd<1.3.3-r0
1.3.3-r0
alpine/containerd<1.3.3-r0
1.3.3-r0

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade go/k8s.io/kubernetes to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 1.16.2
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade go/k8s.io/kubernetes to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 1.15.5
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade go/k8s.io/kubernetes to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 1.14.8
  4. Upgrade

    Upgrade go/k8s.io/kubernetes to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 1.13.12
  5. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/jaeger to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:v1.13.1.redhat5-1.el7
  6. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/jaeger-operator to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:v1.13.1.redhat8-1.el7
  7. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/kiali to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:v1.0.7.redhat1-1.el7
  8. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/servicemesh to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:1.0.2-3.el8
  9. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/servicemesh-cni to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:1.0.2-3.el8
  10. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/servicemesh-grafana to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:6.2.2-24.el8
  11. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/servicemesh-operator to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:1.0.2-7.el8
  12. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/servicemesh-prometheus to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:2.7.2-25.el8
  13. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/servicemesh-proxy to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:1.0.2-3.el8
  14. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/servicemesh-grafana to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:6.2.2-38.el8
  15. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/servicemesh-prometheus to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:2.7.2-36.el8
  16. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/servicemesh-cni to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:1.0.11-1.el8
  17. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/servicemesh-operator to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:1.1.4-3.el8
  18. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/servicemesh-grafana to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:6.4.3-11.el8
  19. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/servicemesh-cni to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:1.1.4-2.el8
  20. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/atomic-openshift to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:3.10.181-1.git.0.3ab4b3d.el7
  21. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/atomic-openshift to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:3.11.154-1.git.0.7a097ad.el7
  22. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/atomic-openshift to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:3.9.102-1.git.0.6411f52.el7
  23. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/openshift to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:4.1.20-201910101746.git.0.a80aad5.el8
  24. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/kubernetes to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 1.13.12
  25. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/kubernetes to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 1.14.8
  26. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/kubernetes to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 1.15.5
  27. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/kubernetes to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 1.16.2
  28. Upgrade

    Upgrade alpine/containerd to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 1.3.3-r0
  29. Upgrade

    Upgrade kubernetes/kubernetes to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in v1.13.12
  30. Upgrade

    Upgrade kubernetes/kubernetes to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in v1.14.8
  31. Upgrade

    Upgrade kubernetes/kubernetes to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in v1.15.5
  32. Upgrade

    Upgrade kubernetes/kubernetes to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in v1.16.2

Event History

Sep 28, 2019
CVE Published
12:00 AM
Oct 2, 2019
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·08:41 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Oct 17, 2019
CVE Published
via MITRE·03:40 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·03:40 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·04:15 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Data Sourced
via OSV·04:15 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
May 18, 2021
Advisory Published
03:38 PM
Aug 20, 2025
Data Sourced
via IBM·12:00 AM
DescriptionAffected Software

Parent advisories

This vulnerability appears in the following advisories.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is CVE-2019-11253?

CVE-2019-11253 is a vulnerability in Kubernetes that allows authorized users to send malicious YAML or JSON payloads, causing the API server to consume excessive CPU or memory, potentially crashing and becoming unresponsive.

2

How does CVE-2019-11253 impact Kubernetes API server?

CVE-2019-11253 can result in the Kubernetes API server consuming excessive CPU or memory, potentially leading to crash and unresponsiveness.

3

What is the severity level of CVE-2019-11253?

CVE-2019-11253 has a severity level of 7.5 (high).

4

Which versions of Kubernetes are affected by CVE-2019-11253?

Versions v1.0-1.12 and versions prior to v1.13.12, v1.14.8, v1.15.5, and v1.16.2 are affected by CVE-2019-11253.

5

How can I fix CVE-2019-11253?

To fix CVE-2019-11253, ensure that you update your Kubernetes version to at least v1.13.12, v1.14.8, v1.15.5, or v1.16.2.

Company

Resources

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