CVE-2023-27593

Host code execution via writable CNI mount

Published Mar 17, 2023 · Updated Feb 25, 2025

Incorrect default permissions in Cilium 1.11.14 and earlier, 1.12.0 through 1.12.7, and 1.13.0 allow local users to access the node. The cilium-agent container mounts the host's /opt/cni/bin directory as writable, letting a user replace the CNI binary that executes when a new pod starts. Exploitation requires access to a Cilium agent pod and results in code execution on the underlying Kubernetes node.

CVSS severity4.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect default permissions in Cilium 1.11.14 and earlier, 1.12.0 through 1.12.7, and 1.13.0 allow local users to access the node. The cilium-agent container mounts the host's /opt/cni/bin directory as writable, letting a user replace the CNI binary that executes when a new pod starts. Exploitation requires access to a Cilium agent pod and results in code execution on the underlying Kubernetes node.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-27593
Published
Mar 17, 2023
Updated
Feb 25, 2025
Vendor
Cilium
Product
Cilium
Classifications
CWE-276, T1611
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 17, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 25, 2025Record 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=< 1.11.15
  2. Affected versionversion=>= 1.12.0, < 1.12.8
  3. Affected versionversion=>= 1.13.0, < 1.13.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Cilium · Ciliumversion=< 1.11.15; version=>= 1.12.0, < 1.12.8; version=>= 1.13.0, < 1.13.1

Published CVSS scores

4.4GitHubCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-276Incorrect Default Permissions
T1611Escape to Host

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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