Kubernetes kubelet denial of service
Priority LOW 31CWE-789Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Adjacent network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA, GitHub and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-789.
Summary
The Kubelet component in versions 1.15.0-1.15.9, 1.16.0-1.16.6, and 1.17.0-1.17.2 has been found to be vulnerable to a denial of service attack via the kubelet API, including the unauthenticated HTTP read-only API typically served on port 10255, and the authenticated HTTPS API typically served on port 10250.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.01242 69th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed Kubernetes (Kubernetes): v1.17.3, v1.16.7, v1.15.10k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): 1.15.10, 1.16.6, 1.17.2Red Hat: 2 advisories
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kubernetes | Kubernetes | before v1.17.3; before v1.16.7; before v1.15.10 | v1.17.3, v1.16.7, v1.15.10 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | k8s.io/kubernetes (Go) | 1.15.0 to before 1.15.10 | 1.15.10 | Patch available | GHSA-qhm4-jxv7-j9pq |
| — | k8s.io/kubernetes (Go) | 1.16.0 to before 1.16.6 | 1.16.6 | Patch available | GHSA-qhm4-jxv7-j9pq |
| — | k8s.io/kubernetes (Go) | 1.17.0 to before 1.17.2 | 1.17.2 | Patch available | GHSA-qhm4-jxv7-j9pq |
- Kubernetes VendorKubernetes Affected before v1.17.3; before v1.16.7; before v1.15.10 Fixed in v1.17.3, v1.16.7, v1.15.10 Patch available CNA
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go) Vendor— Affected 1.15.0 to before 1.15.10 Fixed in 1.15.10 Patch available GHSA-qhm4-jxv7-j9pq
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go) Vendor— Affected 1.16.0 to before 1.16.6 Fixed in 1.16.6 Patch available GHSA-qhm4-jxv7-j9pq
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go) Vendor— Affected 1.17.0 to before 1.17.2 Fixed in 1.17.2 Patch available GHSA-qhm4-jxv7-j9pq
CPE configurations NVD · 2
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.15.0 – 1.15.9; 1.16.0 – 1.16.6; 1.17.0 – 1.17.2 | Vulnerable | Kubernetes |
| cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:32:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 32 | Vulnerable | Fedoraproject |
- cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.15.0 – 1.15.9; 1.16.0 – 1.16.6; 1.17.0 – 1.17.2 Vulnerable ·Kubernetes
- cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:32:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 32 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Kubernetes (Kubernetes) Fixed in v1.17.3, v1.16.7, v1.15.10
- Fix · GHSA-qhm4-jxv7-j9pq k8s.io/kubernetes (Go) Fixed in 1.15.10 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-qhm4-jxv7-j9pq k8s.io/kubernetes (Go) Fixed in 1.16.6 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-qhm4-jxv7-j9pq k8s.io/kubernetes (Go) Fixed in 1.17.2 Advisory →
Red Hat 2 advisories
- RHSA-2020:1277 Released 2020-04-08 · Red Hat rating ModerateOpenShift Container Platform 4.3.10 openshift-enterprise-hyperkube-container security update
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.3 openshift4/ose-hyperkube
- RHSA-2020:1276 Released 2020-04-07 · Red Hat rating ModerateOpenShift Container Platform 4.3.10 openshift security update
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.3 openshift-4.3.10-202003300855.git.0.da48c1d.el7, openshift-4.3.10-202003300855.git.0.da48c1d.el8, openshift-hyperkube-4.3.10-202003300855.git.0.da48c1d.el7 +1
Fixed in the same release
Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.
- Release ·
Kubernetes v1.15.10, v1.16.7, v1.17.3
2 records Highest priority Priority LOW 2 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2020-06852 Kubernetes API server denial of servicePriority LOW 29
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.3 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:1276, RHSA-2020:1277 |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.4 | Fixed | — |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.5 | Fixed | — |
Not affected: 3 products
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 3.11
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
- Red Hat Storage 3
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2020-8551
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-qhm4-jxv7-j9pq
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.4, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.5 · Red Hat
References
Advisory 3
Other 6
- https://groups.google.com/forum/#%21topic/kubernetes-security-announce/2UOlsba2g0s
- https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/87913
- https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/commit/9802bfcec0580169cffce2a3d468689a407fa7dc
- https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/kubernetes-security-announce/2UOlsba2g0s
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[email protected]/message/3SOCLOPTSYABTE4CLTSPDIFE6ZZZR4LX
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20200413-0003
More Kubernetes vulnerabilities
- TI-2018-16130 Improper privilege management in Kubernetes CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2019-08418 Kubernetes kubelet exposes /debug/pprof info on healthz port CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.2
- TI-2023-05086 Kubernetes - Windows nodes - Insufficient input sanitization in in-tree storage plugin leads to privilege escalation CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2023-03433 Kubernetes - Windows nodes - Insufficient input sanitization leads to privilege escalation CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2023-02285 Bypass of seccomp profile enforcement CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.5
- TI-2017-14755 Link following in Kubernetes CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.6
Sources
- CVE-2020-8551 · CVE Program
- CVE-2020-8551 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-qhm4-jxv7-j9pq · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2020-8551 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences