Azure/setup-kubectl: Escalation of privilege vulnerability for v3 and lower
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and GitHub.
Summary
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.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft | setup-kubectl | before 3 | 3 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | Azure/setup-kubectl (GitHub Actions) | before 3 | 3 | Patch available | GHSA-p756-rfxh-x63h |
- setup-kubectl VendorMicrosoft Affected before 3 Fixed in 3 Patch available CNA
- Azure/setup-kubectl (GitHub Actions) Vendor— Affected before 3 Fixed in 3 Patch available GHSA-p756-rfxh-x63h
Remediation
- Fix · CNA setup-kubectl (Azure) Fixed in 3
- Fix · GHSA-p756-rfxh-x63h Azure/setup-kubectl (GitHub Actions) Fixed in 3 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-23939
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-p756-rfxh-x63h
References
Sources
- CVE-2023-23939 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-23939 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-p756-rfxh-x63h · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences