CVE-2023-3676 Kubernetes - Windows nodes - Insufficient input sanitization leads to privilege escalation

What is CVE-2023-3676?

CVE-2023-3676 is a high-severity vulnerability in Kubernetes Kubernetes, published on 31 Oct 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

A security issue was discovered in Kubernetes where a user that can create pods on Windows nodes may be able to escalate to admin privileges on those nodes. Kubernetes clusters are only affected if they include Windows nodes.

Weakness: CWE-20

Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-3676?

11 open source packages ship an affected version, including k8s.io/kubernetes. It affects 1 product.

Products include Kubernetes Kubernetes.

How do I fix CVE-2023-3676?

Upgrade k8s.io/kubernetes to a fixed version for your release line: 1.24.17, 1.25.13, 1.26.8 or 1.27.5.

Is CVE-2023-3676 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-3676 exists.

Other vulnerabilities in Kubernetes Kubernetes

• CVE-2018-1002105 Privilege Escalation in Kubernetes Critical 9.8
• CVE-2017-1000056 Kubernetes Privilege Escalation Critical 9.8
• CVE-2016-1906 Authorization bypass in Openshift Critical 9.8
• CVE-2023-3955 Kubernetes - Windows nodes - Insufficient input sanitization leads to privilege escalation High 8.8
• CVE-2021-25741 Symlink Exchange Can Allow Host Filesystem Access High 8.8

All Kubernetes Kubernetes vulnerabilities

Sources

• CVE record
• NVD
• OSV
• GitHub advisory
• How this page is made

Also known as CLEANSTART-2026-DE45486, CLEANSTART-2026-IK66864, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-3676, GHSA-7fxm-f474-hf8w, GO-2023-2330.