CVE-2022-2385Network attack vector

Privilege escalation via case-insensitive credential duplication

Published Jul 12, 2022 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Improper input validation in Kubernetes AWS IAM Authenticator 0.5.2 through 0.5.8 allows remote authenticated users to escalate privileges. The token verifier treated query-parameter names case-sensitively, allowing differently cased duplicate X-Amz-Credential values to alter the AccessKeyID used in username templating. Exploitation requires an allow-listed IAM identity and a configuration that builds usernames from AccessKeyID while assigning different access by username.

CVSS severity8.1
High
EPSS probability1.07%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper input validation in Kubernetes AWS IAM Authenticator 0.5.2 through 0.5.8 allows remote authenticated users to escalate privileges. The token verifier treated query-parameter names case-sensitively, allowing differently cased duplicate X-Amz-Credential values to alter the AccessKeyID used in username templating. Exploitation requires an allow-listed IAM identity and a configuration that builds usernames from AccessKeyID while assigning different access by username.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-2385
Published
Jul 12, 2022
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
Kubernetes
Product
AWS IAM Authenticator for Kubernetes
Classifications
CWE-20, T1078.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 12, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <v0.5.9
  2. Affected versionversion=v0.5.2 <unspecified

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Kubernetes · AWS IAM Authenticator for Kubernetesversion=unspecified <v0.5.9; version=v0.5.2 <unspecified

Published CVSS scores

8.1KubernetesCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
T1078.004Cloud Accounts

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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