CVE-2022-24878
Improper path handling in Kustomization files allows for denial of service
CVE-2022-24878 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.7) in Fluxcd Flux2, published May 6, 2022. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.02%, the 63rd percentile. Fixed in github.com/fluxcd/kustomize-controller 0.24.0.
Flux is an open and extensible continuous delivery solution for Kubernetes. Path Traversal in the kustomize-controller via a malicious kustomization.yaml allows an attacker to cause a Denial of Service at the controller level. Workarounds include automated tooling in the user's CI/CD pipeline to validate kustomization.yaml files conform with specific policies. This vulnerability is fixed in kustomize-controller v0.24.0 and included in flux2 v0.29.0. Users are recommended to upgrade.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Improper path handling in Kustomization files allows for denial of service
Flux is an open and extensible continuous delivery solution for Kubernetes. Path Traversal in the kustomize-controller via a malicious kustomization.yaml allows an attacker to cause a Denial of Service at the controller level. Workarounds include automated tooling in the user's CI/CD pipeline to validate kustomization.yaml files conform with specific policies. This vulnerability is fixed in kustomize-controller v0.24.0 and included in flux2 v0.29.0. Users are recommended to upgrade.
- Record
CVE-2022-24878- CVSS 3.1
- 7.7 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2022-3043
Flux is an open and extensible continuous delivery solution for Kubernetes. Path Traversal in the kustomize-controller via a malicious kustomization.yaml allows an attacker to cause a Denial of Service at the controller level. Workarounds include automated tooling in the user's CI/CD pipeline to validate kustomization.yaml files conform with specific policies. This vulnerability is fixed in kustomize-controller v0.24.0 and included in flux2 v0.29.0. Users are recommended to upgrade.
- Record
EUVD-2022-3043- CVSS 3.1
- 7.7 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-7pwf-jg34-hxwp
Improper path handling in Kustomization files allows for denial of service
The kustomize-controller enables the use of Kustomize’s functionality when applying Kubernetes declarative state onto a cluster. A malicious user can use a specially crafted kustomization.yaml to cause Denial of Service at controller level.
In multi-tenancy deployments this can lead to multiple tenants not being able to apply their Kustomizations until the malicious kustomization.yaml is removed and the controller restarted.
Impact
Within the affected versions, users with write access to a Flux source are able to craft a malicious kustomization.yaml file which causes the controller to enter an endless loop.
Patches
This vulnerability was fixed in kustomize-controller v0.24.0 and included in flux2 v0.29.0 released on 2022-04-20. The changes introduce better handling of Kustomization files blocking references that could lead to endless loops.
Credits
The Flux engineering team found and patched this vulnerability.
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory please open an issue in the flux2 repository.
- Record
GHSA-7pwf-jg34-hxwp- CVSS 3.1
- 7.7 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-674
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
Flux is an open and extensible continuous delivery solution for Kubernetes. Path Traversal in the kustomize-controller via a malicious kustomization.yaml allows an attacker to cause a Denial of Service at the controller level. Workarounds include automated tooling in the user's CI/CD pipeline to validate kustomization.yaml files conform with specific policies. This vulnerability is fixed in kustomize-controller v0.24.0 and included in flux2 v0.29.0. Users are recommended to upgrade.
- Record
CVE-2022-24878- CVSS 3.1
- 7.7 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H - CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 4.0 Medium
AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:N/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
Improper path handling in Kustomization files allows for denial of service
Flux is an open and extensible continuous delivery solution for Kubernetes. Path Traversal in the kustomize-controller via a malicious kustomization.yaml allows an attacker to cause a Denial of Service at the controller level. Workarounds include automated tooling in the user's CI/CD pipeline to validate kustomization.yaml files conform with specific policies. This vulnerability is fixed in kustomize-controller v0.24.0 and included in flux2 v0.29.0. Users are recommended to upgrade.
- Record
CVE-2022-24878- CVSS 3.1
- 7.7 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-7pwf-jg34-hxwp
Improper path handling in Kustomization files allows for denial of service
The kustomize-controller enables the use of Kustomize’s functionality when applying Kubernetes declarative state onto a cluster. A malicious user can use a specially crafted kustomization.yaml to cause Denial of Service at controller level.
In multi-tenancy deployments this can lead to multiple tenants not being able to apply their Kustomizations until the malicious kustomization.yaml is removed and the controller restarted.
Impact
Within the affected versions, users with write access to a Flux source are able to craft a malicious kustomization.yaml file which causes the controller to enter an endless loop.
Patches
This vulnerability was fixed in kustomize-controller v0.24.0 and included in flux2 v0.29.0 released on 2022-04-20. The changes introduce better handling of Kustomization files blocking references that could lead to endless loops.
Credits
The Flux engineering team found and patched this vulnerability.
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory please open an issue in the flux2 repository.
- Record
GHSA-7pwf-jg34-hxwp- CVSS 3.1
- 7.7 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-674
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVBIT-flux-2022-24878 No score
Improper path handling in Kustomization files allows for denial of service
Flux is an open and extensible continuous delivery solution for Kubernetes. Path Traversal in the kustomize-controller via a malicious kustomization.yaml allows an attacker to cause a Denial of Service at the controller level. Workarounds include automated tooling in the user's CI/CD pipeline to validate kustomization.yaml files conform with specific policies. This vulnerability is fixed in kustomize-controller v0.24.0 and included in flux2 v0.29.0. Users are recommended to upgrade.
- Record
BIT-flux-2022-24878- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVBIT-kustomize-2022-24878 No score
Improper path handling in Kustomization files allows for denial of service
Flux is an open and extensible continuous delivery solution for Kubernetes. Path Traversal in the kustomize-controller via a malicious kustomization.yaml allows an attacker to cause a Denial of Service at the controller level. Workarounds include automated tooling in the user's CI/CD pipeline to validate kustomization.yaml files conform with specific policies. This vulnerability is fixed in kustomize-controller v0.24.0 and included in flux2 v0.29.0. Users are recommended to upgrade.
- Record
BIT-kustomize-2022-24878- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGO-2022-0448 No score
Improper path handling in Kustomization files allows for denial of service in github.com/fluxcd/flux2
Improper path handling in Kustomization files allows for denial of service in github.com/fluxcd/flux2
- Record
GO-2022-0448- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
github.com/fluxcd/kustomize-controllerGo |
0.16.0 up to 0.24.0 | 0.24.0 |
github.com/fluxcd/flux2Go |
0.19.0 up to 0.29.0 | 0.29.0 |
fluxBitnami |
before 0.29.0 | 0.29.0 |
kustomizeBitnami |
before 0.24.0 | 0.24.0 |
History
| When | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-11-02 | created | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |