# CVE-2023-27593: cilium-agent container can access the host via `hostPath` mount > An attacker with pod access can replace CNI binaries via hostPath mount to execute code on the underlying node. - **Severity:** Medium 4.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** An administrator - **Attackable:** Local or same network only - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 17 Mar 2023 - **Updated:** 25 Feb 2025 - **Also known as:** BIT-cilium-2023-27593, BIT-cilium-operator-2023-27593, BIT-cilium-proxy-2023-27593, BIT-hubble-2023-27593, BIT-hubble-relay-2023-27593, BIT-hubble-ui-2023-27593, BIT-hubble-ui-backend-2023-27593, GHSA-4hc4-pgfx-3mrx ## What is CVE-2023-27593? CVE-2023-27593 is a medium-severity vulnerability in cilium, published on 17 Mar 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim. ### Official description Cilium is a networking, observability, and security solution with an eBPF-based dataplane. Prior to versions 1.11.15, 1.12.8, and 1.13.1, an attacker with access to a Cilium agent pod can write to `/opt/cni/bin` due to a `hostPath` mount of that directory in the agent pod. By replacing the CNI binary with their own malicious binary and waiting for the creation of a new pod on the node, the attacker can gain access to the underlying node. The issue has been fixed and the fix is available on versions 1.11.15, 1.12.8, and 1.13.1. Some workarounds are available. Kubernetes RBAC should be used to deny users and service accounts `exec` access to Cilium agent pods. In cases where a user requires `exec` access to Cilium agent pods, but should not have access to the underlying node, no workaround is possible. Weakness: CWE-276 (Incorrect Default Permissions) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-27593? 13 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/cilium/cilium, cilium and cilium-operator. It affects 1 product. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `github.com/cilium/cilium` | Go | All versions | 1.11.15 | | `github.com/cilium/cilium` | Go | All versions | 1.11.15 | | `github.com/cilium/cilium` | Go | From 1.12.0 | 1.12.8 | | `github.com/cilium/cilium` | Go | From 1.12.0 | 1.12.8 | | `github.com/cilium/cilium` | Go | From 1.13.0 | 1.13.1 | | `github.com/cilium/cilium` | Go | From 1.13.0 | 1.13.1 | | `cilium` | Bitnami | All versions | 1.11.15, 1.12.8, 1.13.1 | | `cilium-operator` | Bitnami | All versions | 1.11.15, 1.12.8, 1.13.1 | | `cilium-proxy` | Bitnami | All versions | 1.11.15, 1.12.8, 1.13.1 | | `hubble` | Bitnami | All versions | 1.11.15, 1.12.8, 1.13.1 | | `hubble-relay` | Bitnami | All versions | 1.11.15, 1.12.8, 1.13.1 | | `hubble-ui` | Bitnami | All versions | 1.11.15, 1.12.8, 1.13.1 | | `hubble-ui-backend` | Bitnami | All versions | 1.11.15, 1.12.8, 1.13.1 | Products: Cilium Cilium. ## How do I fix CVE-2023-27593? Upgrade github.com/cilium/cilium to a fixed version for your release line: 1.11.15, 1.12.8 or 1.13.1. ## Is CVE-2023-27593 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-27593 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Other vulnerabilities in cilium - [CVE-2026-49445](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-49445/): Cilium: Sensitive information disclosure and cluster disruption via local Envoy admin socket access (critical 9.2) - [CVE-2022-29178](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-29178/): Incorrect Default Permissions in Cilium (high 8.8) - [CVE-2024-28860](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-28860/): Insecure IPsec transport encryption in Cilium (high 8.0) - [CVE-2026-41520](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-41520/): Cillium exposes sensitive information included in the cilium-bugtool debug archive (high 7.9) - [CVE-2024-37307](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-37307/): Cilium leaks sensitive information in cilium-bugtool (high 7.9) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2023-27593 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2023-27593 is a medium-severity vulnerability in cilium, published on 17 Mar 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-27593 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected packages and fixed versions: - github.com/cilium/cilium (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.11.15 - github.com/cilium/cilium (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.11.15 - github.com/cilium/cilium (Go): affected from 1.12.0; fixed in 1.12.8 - github.com/cilium/cilium (Go): affected from 1.12.0; fixed in 1.12.8 - github.com/cilium/cilium (Go): affected from 1.13.0; fixed in 1.13.1 - github.com/cilium/cilium (Go): affected from 1.13.0; fixed in 1.13.1 - cilium (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 1.11.15, 1.12.8, 1.13.1 - cilium-operator (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 1.11.15, 1.12.8, 1.13.1 - cilium-proxy (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 1.11.15, 1.12.8, 1.13.1 - hubble (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 1.11.15, 1.12.8, 1.13.1 - hubble-relay (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 1.11.15, 1.12.8, 1.13.1 - hubble-ui (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 1.11.15, 1.12.8, 1.13.1 Task: 1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies. 2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it. 3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead. 4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why. 5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing. Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-27593/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-27593/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-27593 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-27593 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-27593 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-27593/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.