# CVE-2023-3676: Kubernetes - Windows nodes - Insufficient input sanitization leads to privilege escalation > Users able to create pods on Windows nodes can escalate to admin privileges, requiring clusters with Windows nodes to apply patches. - **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Any signed-in user - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 31 Oct 2023 - **Updated:** 27 Feb 2025 - **Also known as:** CLEANSTART-2026-DE45486, CLEANSTART-2026-IK66864, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-3676, GHSA-7fxm-f474-hf8w, GO-2023-2330 ## 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 (Improper Input Validation) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-3676? 11 open source packages ship an affected version, including k8s.io/kubernetes. It affects 1 product. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `k8s.io/kubernetes` | Go | All versions | 1.24.17, 1.25.13, 1.26.8, 1.27.5, 1.28.1 | | `k8s.io/kubernetes` | Go | All versions | 1.24.17 | | `k8s.io/kubernetes` | Go | All versions | 1.24.17 | | `k8s.io/kubernetes` | Go | From 1.25.0 | 1.25.13 | | `k8s.io/kubernetes` | Go | From 1.25.0 | 1.25.13 | | `k8s.io/kubernetes` | Go | From 1.26.0 | 1.26.8 | | `k8s.io/kubernetes` | Go | From 1.26.0 | 1.26.8 | | `k8s.io/kubernetes` | Go | From 1.27.0 | 1.27.5 | | `k8s.io/kubernetes` | Go | From 1.27.0 | 1.27.5 | | `k8s.io/kubernetes` | Go | From 1.28.0 | 1.28.1 | | `k8s.io/kubernetes` | Go | From 1.28.0 | 1.28.1 | Products: 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](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1002105/): Privilege Escalation in Kubernetes (critical 9.8) - [CVE-2017-1000056](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-1000056/): Kubernetes Privilege Escalation (critical 9.8) - [CVE-2016-1906](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1906/): Authorization bypass in Openshift (critical 9.8) - [CVE-2023-3955](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-3955/): Kubernetes - Windows nodes - Insufficient input sanitization leads to privilege escalation (high 8.8) - [CVE-2021-25741](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25741/): Symlink Exchange Can Allow Host Filesystem Access (high 8.8) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2023-3676 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: 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. Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-3676 exists. Affected packages and fixed versions: - k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.24.17, 1.25.13, 1.26.8, 1.27.5, 1.28.1 - k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.24.17 - k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.24.17 - k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): affected from 1.25.0; fixed in 1.25.13 - k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): affected from 1.25.0; fixed in 1.25.13 - k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): affected from 1.26.0; fixed in 1.26.8 - k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): affected from 1.26.0; fixed in 1.26.8 - k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): affected from 1.27.0; fixed in 1.27.5 - k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): affected from 1.27.0; fixed in 1.27.5 - k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): affected from 1.28.0; fixed in 1.28.1 - k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): affected from 1.28.0; fixed in 1.28.1 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-2023-3676/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-3676/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-3676 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-3676 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-3676 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-3676/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.