CVE-2025-55196 External Secrets Operator's Missing Namespace Restriction Allows Unauthorized Secret Access
Attackers can bypass namespace restrictions to read secrets across the cluster by exploiting missing namespace selectors in list operations.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2025-55196?
CVE-2025-55196 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in external-secrets, published on 13 Aug 2025. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
External Secrets Operator is a Kubernetes operator that integrates external secret management systems. From version 0.15.0 to before 0.19.2, a vulnerability was discovered where the List() calls for Kubernetes Secret and SecretStore resources performed by the PushSecret controller did not apply a namespace selector. This flaw allowed an attacker to use label selectors to list and read secrets/secret-stores across the cluster, bypassing intended namespace restrictions. An attacker with the ability to create or update PushSecret resources and control SecretStore configurations could exploit this vulnerability to exfiltrate sensitive data from arbitrary namespaces. This could lead to full disclosure of Kubernetes secrets, including credentials, tokens, and other sensitive information stored in the cluster. This vulnerability has been patched in version 0.19.2. A workaround for this issue includes auditing and restricting RBAC permissions so that only trusted service accounts can create or update PushSecret and SecretStore resources.
Weakness: CWE-284
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-55196?
3 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/external-secrets/external-secrets.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
github.com/external-secrets/external-secrets Go | From 0.15.0 | 0.19.2 |
github.com/external-secrets/external-secrets Go | From 0.15.0 | 0.19.2 |
github.com/external-secrets/external-secrets Go | From 0.15.0 | 0.19.2 |
How do I fix CVE-2025-55196?
Upgrade github.com/external-secrets/external-secrets to 0.19.2 or later.
Upgrade, and check permissions on every request on the server, not only in the interface. More about Missing authorization.
Is CVE-2025-55196 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-55196 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-fcxq-v2r3-cc8h, GO-2025-3885, MINI-q28f-6gqv-jjrj.