CVE-2026-72648: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in an Environment Variable in Elastic Cloud on Kubernetes Leading to Information Disclosure
Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in an Environment Variable (CWE-526) in Elastic Cloud on Kubernetes (ECK) can lead to information disclosure via Retrieve Embedded Sensitive Data (CAPEC-37). When ECK reconciles a Fleet Server resource that authenticates to Elasticsearch with a service account token, the token is written into the generated workload specification in cleartext rather than being referenced from the Kubernetes Secret that ECK maintains for the other credentials on the same path. Any principal able to read workload specifications in the affected namespace can therefore read a live Elasticsearch credential, even when Kubernetes RBAC does not grant that principal access to Secrets.
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-72648?
The severity of CVE-2026-72648 is rated as medium with a score of 6.5.
How does CVE-2026-72648 lead to information disclosure?
CVE-2026-72648 allows cleartext storage of sensitive information in an environment variable, which can be accessed and disclosed.
What software is affected by CVE-2026-72648?
CVE-2026-72648 affects Elastic Cloud on Kubernetes (ECK).
What is the nature of the vulnerability in CVE-2026-72648?
CVE-2026-72648 involves cleartext storage of sensitive information classified under CWE-526.
How can I mitigate the risk associated with CVE-2026-72648?
Mitigating the risk of CVE-2026-72648 involves ensuring that sensitive information is not stored in environment variables.