CVE-2023-23939: Azure/setup-kubectl: Escalation of privilege vulnerability for v3 and lower
Azure/setup-kubectl is a GitHub Action for installing Kubectl. This vulnerability only impacts versions before version 3. An insecure temporary creation of a file allows other actors on the Actions runner to replace the Kubectl binary created by this action because it is world writable. This Kubectl tool installer runs fs.chmodSync(kubectlPath, 777) to set permissions on the Kubectl binary, however, this allows any local user to replace the Kubectl binary. This allows privilege escalation to the user that can also run kubectl, most likely root. This attack is only possible if an attacker somehow breached the GitHub actions runner or if a user is utilizing an Action that maliciously executes this attack. This has been fixed and released in all versions v3 and later. 775 permissions are used instead. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this issue.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2023-23939?
CVE-2023-23939 is classified as a high severity vulnerability due to the potential for unauthorized modification of the Kubectl binary.
How do I fix CVE-2023-23939?
To fix CVE-2023-23939, upgrade the Azure/setup-kubectl GitHub Action to version 3.0 or later.
What are the implications of CVE-2023-23939?
The implications of CVE-2023-23939 include the risk of malicious actors replacing the Kubectl binary on the actions runner.
Which versions of Azure/setup-kubectl are affected by CVE-2023-23939?
CVE-2023-23939 affects all versions of Azure/setup-kubectl prior to version 3.0.
How does CVE-2023-23939 affect secure operations in CI/CD pipelines?
CVE-2023-23939 can compromise the integrity of CI/CD pipelines by allowing the Kubectl binary to be altered, potentially executing harmful code.