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CVE-2023-28114

`cilium-cli` disables etcd authorization for clustermesh clusters

4.8 MediumFix available

cilium-cli is the command line interface to install, manage, and troubleshoot Kubernetes clusters running Cilium. Prior to version 0.13.2,cilium-cli, when used to configure cluster mesh functionality, can remove the enforcement of user permissions on the etcd store used to mirror local cluster information to remote clusters. Users who have set up cluster meshes using the Cilium Helm chart are not affected by this issue.

Due to an incorrect mount point specification, the settings specified by the initContainer that configures etcd users and their permissions are overwritten when using cilium-cli to configure a cluster mesh. An attacker who has already gained access to a valid key and certificate for an etcd cluster compromised in this manner could then modify state in that etcd cluster.

This issue is patched in cilium-cli 0.13.2. As a workaround, one may use Cilium's Helm charts to create their cluster.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Adjacent network
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
High
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

0.19%Up 0.1 points since Mar 23, 2023
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 4.8

`cilium-cli` disables etcd authorization for clustermesh clusters

cilium-cli is the command line interface to install, manage, and troubleshoot Kubernetes clusters running Cilium. Prior to version 0.13.2,cilium-cli, when used to configure cluster mesh functionality, can remove the enforcement of user permissions on the etcd store used to mirror local cluster information to remote clusters. Users who have set up cluster meshes using the Cilium Helm chart are not affected by this issue.

Due to an incorrect mount point specification, the settings specified by the initContainer that configures etcd users and their permissions are overwritten when using cilium-cli to configure a cluster mesh. An attacker who has already gained access to a valid key and certificate for an etcd cluster compromised in this manner could then modify state in that etcd cluster.

This issue is patched in cilium-cli 0.13.2. As a workaround, one may use Cilium's Helm charts to create their cluster.

Record
CVE-2023-28114
CVSS 3.1
4.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-280, CWE-755
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-0902 4.8

cilium-cli is the command line interface to install, manage, and troubleshoot Kubernetes clusters running Cilium. Prior to version 0.13.2,cilium-cli, when used to configure cluster mesh functionality, can remove the enforcement of user permissions on the etcd store used to mirror local cluster information to remote clusters. Users who have set up cluster meshes using the Cilium Helm chart are not affected by this issue.

Due to an incorrect mount point specification, the settings specified by the initContainer that configures etcd users and their permissions are overwritten when using cilium-cli to configure a cluster mesh. An attacker who has already gained access to a valid key and certificate for an etcd cluster compromised in this manner could then modify state in that etcd cluster.

This issue is patched in cilium-cli 0.13.2. As a workaround, one may use Cilium's Helm charts to create their cluster.

Record
EUVD-2023-0902
CVSS 3.1
4.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-6f27-3p6c-p5jc 4.8

`cilium-cli` disables etcd authorization for clustermesh clusters

Impact

cilium-cli, when used to configure cluster mesh functionality, can remove the enforcement of user permissions on the etcd store used to mirror local cluster information to remote clusters.

Due to an incorrect mount point specification, the settings specified by the initContainer that configures etcd users and their permissions are overwritten when using cilium-cli to configure a cluster mesh. An attacker who has already gained access to a valid key and certificate for an etcd cluster compromised in this manner could then modify state in that etcd cluster.

Patches

This issue is patched in cilium-cli 0.13.2

All previous versions of cilium-cli are affected. Users who have set up cluster meshes using the Cilium Helm chart are not affected.

Workarounds

Use Cilium's Helm charts to create your cluster instead.

Acknowledgements

The Cilium community has worked together with members of Isovalent to prepare these mitigations. Special thanks to Marco Iorio for investigating and fixing the issue.

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory, please reach out on Slack.

As usual, if you think you found a related vulnerability, we strongly encourage you to report security vulnerabilities to our private security mailing list: [email protected] - first, before disclosing them in any public forums. This is a private mailing list where only members of the Cilium internal security team are subscribed to, and is treated as top priority.

Record
GHSA-6f27-3p6c-p5jc
CVSS 3.1
4.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-280
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 4.8

cilium-cli is the command line interface to install, manage, and troubleshoot Kubernetes clusters running Cilium. Prior to version 0.13.2,cilium-cli, when used to configure cluster mesh functionality, can remove the enforcement of user permissions on the etcd store used to mirror local cluster information to remote clusters. Users who have set up cluster meshes using the Cilium Helm chart are not affected by this issue.

Due to an incorrect mount point specification, the settings specified by the initContainer that configures etcd users and their permissions are overwritten when using cilium-cli to configure a cluster mesh. An attacker who has already gained access to a valid key and certificate for an etcd cluster compromised in this manner could then modify state in that etcd cluster.

This issue is patched in cilium-cli 0.13.2. As a workaround, one may use Cilium's Helm charts to create their cluster.

Record
CVE-2023-28114
CVSS 3.1
4.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
CVSS 3.1
4.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-280, CWE-755
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 4.8

`cilium-cli` disables etcd authorization for clustermesh clusters

cilium-cli is the command line interface to install, manage, and troubleshoot Kubernetes clusters running Cilium. Prior to version 0.13.2,cilium-cli, when used to configure cluster mesh functionality, can remove the enforcement of user permissions on the etcd store used to mirror local cluster information to remote clusters. Users who have set up cluster meshes using the Cilium Helm chart are not affected by this issue.

Due to an incorrect mount point specification, the settings specified by the initContainer that configures etcd users and their permissions are overwritten when using cilium-cli to configure a cluster mesh. An attacker who has already gained access to a valid key and certificate for an etcd cluster compromised in this manner could then modify state in that etcd cluster.

This issue is patched in cilium-cli 0.13.2. As a workaround, one may use Cilium's Helm charts to create their cluster.

Record
CVE-2023-28114
CVSS 3.1
4.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-280, CWE-755
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-6f27-3p6c-p5jc 4.8

`cilium-cli` disables etcd authorization for clustermesh clusters

Impact

cilium-cli, when used to configure cluster mesh functionality, can remove the enforcement of user permissions on the etcd store used to mirror local cluster information to remote clusters.

Due to an incorrect mount point specification, the settings specified by the initContainer that configures etcd users and their permissions are overwritten when using cilium-cli to configure a cluster mesh. An attacker who has already gained access to a valid key and certificate for an etcd cluster compromised in this manner could then modify state in that etcd cluster.

Patches

This issue is patched in cilium-cli 0.13.2

All previous versions of cilium-cli are affected. Users who have set up cluster meshes using the Cilium Helm chart are not affected.

Workarounds

Use Cilium's Helm charts to create your cluster instead.

Acknowledgements

The Cilium community has worked together with members of Isovalent to prepare these mitigations. Special thanks to Marco Iorio for investigating and fixing the issue.

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory, please reach out on Slack.

As usual, if you think you found a related vulnerability, we strongly encourage you to report security vulnerabilities to our private security mailing list: [email protected] - first, before disclosing them in any public forums. This is a private mailing list where only members of the Cilium internal security team are subscribed to, and is treated as top priority.

Record
GHSA-6f27-3p6c-p5jc
CVSS 3.1
4.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-280
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGO-2023-1653 No score

`cilium-cli` disables etcd authorization for clustermesh clusters in github.com/cilium/cilium-cli

cilium-cli disables etcd authorization for clustermesh clusters in github.com/cilium/cilium-cli

Record
GO-2023-1653
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
github.com/cilium/cilium-cli
Go
before 0.13.2
0.13.2

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
first indexedCVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2023-28114 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 4.8) in Cilium Cilium-cli, published March 21, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.19%, the 8th percentile. Fixed in github.com/cilium/cilium-cli 0.13.2.

References

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