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CVE-2019-1002101 Moderate

Symlink Attack in kubectl cp in k8s.io/kubernetes

Symlink Attack in kubectl cp in k8s.io/kubernetes

Exploit probability 13.2%
Published August 21, 2024
Required by Not available
Last source change February 4, 2026

02 / AFFECTED SOFTWARE

Affected packages

Unknown Unknown

47 explicit affected versions

Go k8s.io/kubernetes
Go k8s.io/kubernetes

03 / CONNECTIONS

Connected vulnerabilities

04 / EVIDENCE

Source records

Open Source Vulnerabilities GHSA-34jx-wx69-9x8v

The kubectl cp command allows copying files between containers and the user machine. To copy files from a container, Kubernetes creates a tar inside the container, copies it over the network, and kubectl unpacks it on the user’s machine. If the tar binary in the container is malicious, it could run any code and output unexpected, malicious results. An attacker could use this to write files to any path on the user’s machine when kubectl cp is called, limited only by the system permissions of the local user. The untar function can both create and follow symbolic links. The issue is resolved in kubectl v1.11.9, v1.12.7, v1.13.5, and v1.14.0.

View original source
Open Source Vulnerabilities CVE-2019-1002101

The kubectl cp command allows copying files between containers and the user machine. To copy files from a container, Kubernetes creates a tar inside the container, copies it over the network, and kubectl unpacks it on the user’s machine. If the tar binary in the container is malicious, it could run any code and output unexpected, malicious results. An attacker could use this to write files to any path on the user’s machine when kubectl cp is called, limited only by the system permissions of the local user. The untar function can both create and follow symbolic links. The issue is resolved in kubectl v1.11.9, v1.12.7, v1.13.5, and v1.14.0.

View original source

05 / REFERENCES

Further evidence