CVE-2023-23939
Azure/setup-kubectl: Escalation of privilege vulnerability for v3 and lower
Azure/setup-kubectl is a GitHub Action for installing Kubectl. This vulnerability only impacts versions before version 3. An insecure temporary creation of a file allows other actors on the Actions runner to replace the Kubectl binary created by this action because it is world writable. This Kubectl tool installer runs fs.chmodSync(kubectlPath, 777) to set permissions on the Kubectl binary, however, this allows any local user to replace the Kubectl binary. This allows privilege escalation to the user that can also run kubectl, most likely root. This attack is only possible if an attacker somehow breached the GitHub actions runner or if a user is utilizing an Action that maliciously executes this attack. This has been fixed and released in all versions v3 and later. 775 permissions are used instead. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this issue.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- High
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- Low
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- Low
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
3.9
Azure/setup-kubectl: Escalation of privilege vulnerability for v3 and lower
Azure/setup-kubectl is a GitHub Action for installing Kubectl. This vulnerability only impacts versions before version 3. An insecure temporary creation of a file allows other actors on the Actions runner to replace the Kubectl binary created by this action because it is world writable. This Kubectl tool installer runs fs.chmodSync(kubectlPath, 777) to set permissions on the Kubectl binary, however, this allows any local user to replace the Kubectl binary. This allows privilege escalation to the user that can also run kubectl, most likely root. This attack is only possible if an attacker somehow breached the GitHub actions runner or if a user is utilizing an Action that maliciously executes this attack. This has been fixed and released in all versions v3 and later. 775 permissions are used instead. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this issue.
- Record
CVE-2023-23939- CVSS 3.1
- 3.9 Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-732
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-1065
3.9
Azure/setup-kubectl is a GitHub Action for installing Kubectl. This vulnerability only impacts versions before version 3. An insecure temporary creation of a file allows other actors on the Actions runner to replace the Kubectl binary created by this action because it is world writable. This Kubectl tool installer runs fs.chmodSync(kubectlPath, 777) to set permissions on the Kubectl binary, however, this allows any local user to replace the Kubectl binary. This allows privilege escalation to the user that can also run kubectl, most likely root. This attack is only possible if an attacker somehow breached the GitHub actions runner or if a user is utilizing an Action that maliciously executes this attack. This has been fixed and released in all versions v3 and later. 775 permissions are used instead. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this issue.
- Record
EUVD-2023-1065- CVSS 3.1
- 3.9 Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-p756-rfxh-x63h
3.0
Azure/setup-kubectl: Escalation of privilege vulnerability for v3 and lower
Impact
This vulnerability only impacts versions v2 and lower. An insecure temporary creation of a file allows other actors on the Actions runner to replace the Kubectl binary created by this action because it is world writable. This Kubectl tool installer runs fs.chmodSync(kubectlPath, 777) to set permissions on the Kubectl binary, however, this allows any local user to replace the Kubectl binary. This allows privilege escalation to the user that can also run kubectl, most likely root. This attack is only possible if an attacker somehow breached the GitHub actions runner or if a user is utilizing an Action that maliciously executes this attack.
No impacted customers have been reported.
Patches
This has been fixed and released in all versions v3 and later. 755 permissions are used instead.
Workarounds
If users absolutely cannot upgrade to v3 or higher than they should be extra diligent of the other GitHub actions they are using in a workflow and ensure that their GitHub actions runner is secure.
- Record
GHSA-p756-rfxh-x63h- CVSS 3.1
- 3.0 Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-732
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
3.9
Azure/setup-kubectl is a GitHub Action for installing Kubectl. This vulnerability only impacts versions before version 3. An insecure temporary creation of a file allows other actors on the Actions runner to replace the Kubectl binary created by this action because it is world writable. This Kubectl tool installer runs fs.chmodSync(kubectlPath, 777) to set permissions on the Kubectl binary, however, this allows any local user to replace the Kubectl binary. This allows privilege escalation to the user that can also run kubectl, most likely root. This attack is only possible if an attacker somehow breached the GitHub actions runner or if a user is utilizing an Action that maliciously executes this attack. This has been fixed and released in all versions v3 and later. 775 permissions are used instead. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this issue.
- Record
CVE-2023-23939- CVSS 3.1
- 3.9 Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - CVSS 3.1
- 7.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-732
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
3.9
Azure/setup-kubectl: Escalation of privilege vulnerability for v3 and lower
Azure/setup-kubectl is a GitHub Action for installing Kubectl. This vulnerability only impacts versions before version 3. An insecure temporary creation of a file allows other actors on the Actions runner to replace the Kubectl binary created by this action because it is world writable. This Kubectl tool installer runs fs.chmodSync(kubectlPath, 777) to set permissions on the Kubectl binary, however, this allows any local user to replace the Kubectl binary. This allows privilege escalation to the user that can also run kubectl, most likely root. This attack is only possible if an attacker somehow breached the GitHub actions runner or if a user is utilizing an Action that maliciously executes this attack. This has been fixed and released in all versions v3 and later. 775 permissions are used instead. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this issue.
- Record
CVE-2023-23939- CVSS 3.1
- 3.9 Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-732
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-p756-rfxh-x63h
3.0
Azure/setup-kubectl: Escalation of privilege vulnerability for v3 and lower
Impact
This vulnerability only impacts versions v2 and lower. An insecure temporary creation of a file allows other actors on the Actions runner to replace the Kubectl binary created by this action because it is world writable. This Kubectl tool installer runs fs.chmodSync(kubectlPath, 777) to set permissions on the Kubectl binary, however, this allows any local user to replace the Kubectl binary. This allows privilege escalation to the user that can also run kubectl, most likely root. This attack is only possible if an attacker somehow breached the GitHub actions runner or if a user is utilizing an Action that maliciously executes this attack.
No impacted customers have been reported.
Patches
This has been fixed and released in all versions v3 and later. 755 permissions are used instead.
Workarounds
If users absolutely cannot upgrade to v3 or higher than they should be extra diligent of the other GitHub actions they are using in a workflow and ensure that their GitHub actions runner is secure.
- Record
GHSA-p756-rfxh-x63h- CVSS 3.1
- 3.0 Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-732
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
Azure/setup-kubectlGitHub Actions |
before 3 | 3 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-23939 is a low vulnerability (CVSS 3.9) in Azure Setup-kubectl, published March 6, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.36%, the 30th percentile. Fixed in Azure/setup-kubectl 3.
References
github.com/Azure/setup-kubectl/security/advisories/GHSA-p756-rfxh-x63h
github.com/Azure/setup-kubectl/commit/d449d75495d2b9d1463555bb00ca3dca77a42ab6
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-23939
github.com/advisories/GHSA-p756-rfxh-x63h
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2023/23xxx/CVE-2023-23939.json
github.com/Azure/setup-kubectl