CVE-2026-24905: Inspektor Gadget has a Command Injection vulnerability in Makefile.build
Impacted Resources
inspektor-gadget/cmd/common/image/build.go inspektor-gadget/cmd/common/image/helpers/Makefile.build
Description
The ig binary provides a subcommand for image building, used to generate custom gadget OCI images.
A part of this functionality is implemented in the file inspektor-gadget/cmd/common/image/build.go.
The following is the code responsible to construct the build command: go func buildCmd(options buildOptions) []string { cmd := []string{ "make", "-f", filepath.Join(options.outputDir, "Makefile.build"), "-j", fmt.Sprintf("%d", runtime.NumCPU()), "OUTPUTDIR=" + options.outputDir, "CFLAGS=" + options.cFlags, "FORCECOLORS=" + options.forceColorsFlag, }
if options.ebpfSourcePath != "" { cmd = append(cmd, "EBPFSOURCE="+options.ebpfSourcePath, "ebpf") } if options.wasmSourcePath != "" { cmd = append(cmd, "WASM="+options.wasmSourcePath, "wasm") } if options.btfgen { cmd = append(cmd, "BTFHUBARCHIVE="+options.btfHubArchivePath, "btfgen") }
return cmd }
The Makefile.build file is the Makefile template employed during the building process.
This file includes user-controlled data in an unsafe fashion, specifically some parameters are embedded without an adequate escaping in the commands inside the Makefile.
This implementation is vulnerable to command injection: an attacker able to control values in the buildOptions structure would be able to execute arbitrary commands during the building process.
Impact
An attacker able to exploit this vulnerability would be able to execute arbitray command: - on the Linux host where the ig command is launched, if images are built with the --local flag - on the build container invoked by ig, if the --local flag is not provided
Attack Complexity
The buildOptions structure is extracted from the YAML gadget manifest passed to the ig image build command. Therefore, the attacker would need a way to control either the full build.yml file passed to the ig image build command, or one of its options.
Typically, this could happen in a CI/CD scenario that builds untrusted gadgets to verify correctness.
PoC
1. Create the file build.yaml with the following content: ebpfsource: "program.bpf.c" metadata: "gadget.yaml" cflags: " ; touch poc.txt ; " 2. Create the file gadget.yaml with the following content: name: test description: test gadget 3. Create the file program.bpf.c with the following content: #include <gadget/gadget.h> char LICENSE[] SEC("license") = "GPL"; 4. In the same directory where the files are run the command: ig image build . -t test:latest 5. Notice that the file poc.txt gets created inside the directory.
Suggested Remediation
Sanitize build options by providing a robust whitelist to filter on. Alternatively, revisit the design of image building to prevent shell substitution.
Resources
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/77.html - https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/78.html
Other sources
Inspektor Gadget is a set of tools and framework for data collection and system inspection on Kubernetes clusters and Linux hosts using eBPF. The ig binary provides a subcommand for image building, used to generate custom gadget OCI images. A part of this functionality is implemented in the file inspektor-gadget/cmd/common/image/build.go. The Makefile.build file is the Makefile template employed during the building process. This file includes user-controlled data in an unsafe fashion, specifically some parameters are embedded without an adequate escaping in the commands inside the Makefile. Prior to version 0.48.1, this implementation is vulnerable to command injection: an attacker able to control values in the buildOptions structure would be able to execute arbitrary commands during the building process. An attacker able to exploit this vulnerability would be able to execute arbitrary command on the Linux host where the ig command is launched, if images are built with the --local flag or on the build container invoked by ig, if the --local flag is not provided. The buildOptions structure is extracted from the YAML gadget manifest passed to the ig image build command. Therefore, the attacker would need a way to control either the full build.yml file passed to the ig image build command, or one of its options. Typically, this could happen in a CI/CD scenario that builds untrusted gadgets to verify correctness. Version 0.48.1 fixes the issue.
— NVD
Inspektor Gadget is a set of tools and framework for data collection and system inspection on Kubernetes clusters and Linux hosts using eBPF. The ig binary provides a subcommand for image building, used to generate custom gadget OCI images. A part of this functionality is implemented in the file inspektor-gadget/cmd/common/image/build.go. The Makefile.build file is the Makefile template employed during the building process. This file includes user-controlled data in an unsafe fashion, specifically some parameters are embedded without an adequate escaping in the commands inside the Makefile. Prior to version 0.48.1, this implementation is vulnerable to command injection: an attacker able to control values in the buildOptions structure would be able to execute arbitrary commands during the building process. An attacker able to exploit this vulnerability would be able to execute arbitrary command on the Linux host where the ig command is launched, if images are built with the --local flag or on the build container invoked by ig, if the --local flag is not provided. The buildOptions structure is extracted from the YAML gadget manifest passed to the ig image build command. Therefore, the attacker would need a way to control either the full build.yml file passed to the ig image build command, or one of its options. Typically, this could happen in a CI/CD scenario that builds untrusted gadgets to verify correctness. Version 0.51.1 fixes the issue.
— MITRE
Affected Software
Remediation
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-24905?
CVE-2026-24905 has been classified with a moderate severity score due to its potential exploitation in specific configurations.
How do I fix CVE-2026-24905?
To fix CVE-2026-24905, update Inspektor Gadget to version 0.48.1 or later, which includes the necessary patches.
What components are affected by CVE-2026-24905?
CVE-2026-24905 affects the Inspektor Gadget toolset, specifically versions prior to 0.48.1.
What are the potential impacts of exploiting CVE-2026-24905?
Exploiting CVE-2026-24905 could allow unauthorized access to sensitive system data in Kubernetes clusters.
Is CVE-2026-24905 related to any specific software environment?
Yes, CVE-2026-24905 specifically targets environments running Inspektor Gadget on Kubernetes clusters and Linux hosts.