Kubernetes credential disclosure via plaintext metadata and logs
Published Jan 24, 2024 · Updated Jun 11, 2025
Cleartext storage in Apache Airflow and its CNCF Kubernetes provider allows attackers with metadata or log access to obtain cluster credentials. The worker serializes a configured kubeconfig file into unencrypted task metadata, and Airflow 2.3.0 through 2.6.0 also writes that dictionary to triggerer logs without masking. The issue requires deferrable mode with a kubeconfig path; access to the metadata or logs exposes credentials usable against the Kubernetes cluster.
Summary
What happened
Cleartext storage in Apache Airflow and its CNCF Kubernetes provider allows attackers with metadata or log access to obtain cluster credentials. The worker serializes a configured kubeconfig file into unencrypted task metadata, and Airflow 2.3.0 through 2.6.0 also writes that dictionary to triggerer logs without masking. The issue requires deferrable mode with a kubeconfig path; access to the metadata or logs exposes credentials usable against the Kubernetes cluster.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-51702
- Published
- Jan 24, 2024
- Updated
- Jun 11, 2025
- Vendor
- The Apache Software Foundation
- Product
- Apache Airflow CNCF Kubernetes Provider
- Classifications
- CWE-312, CWE-532, T1552
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 24, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jun 11, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=5.2.0 <7.0.0
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
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
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo