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TI-2023-09737 Aliases CVE-2023-23939GHSA-p756-rfxh-x63h

Azure/setup-kubectl: Escalation of privilege vulnerability for v3 and lower

Priority LOW 31CWE-732Published · Updated

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

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00362 30th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed setup-kubectl (Azure): 3Azure/setup-kubectl (GitHub Actions): 3

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

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
Microsoftsetup-kubectlbefore 33Patch availableCNA
—Azure/setup-kubectl (GitHub Actions)before 33Patch availableGHSA-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

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:azure_setup_kubectl:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*before 3.0VulnerableMicrosoft
  • cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:azure_setup_kubectl:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 3.0 Vulnerable ·Microsoft

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA setup-kubectl (Azure) Fixed in 3
  • Fix · GHSA-p756-rfxh-x63h Azure/setup-kubectl (GitHub Actions) Fixed in 3 Advisory →

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-23939
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-p756-rfxh-x63h

References

Sources