CVE-2024-36537Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Cluster takeover via service account token theft

Published Jul 24, 2024 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Improper access control in cert-manager 1.14.4 allows attackers to steal its service account token and access Kubernetes Secrets. An attacker who controls a worker node can manipulate scheduling so a cert-manager pod runs there, then read the pod's automounted token and authenticate to the API server with the controller account's cluster-wide Secret permissions. Worker-node control and another workload able to patch Node objects are required; successful use exposes cluster Secrets and enables cluster takeover.

CVSS severity7.2
High
EPSS probability0.45%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper access control in cert-manager 1.14.4 allows attackers to steal its service account token and access Kubernetes Secrets. An attacker who controls a worker node can manipulate scheduling so a cert-manager pod runs there, then read the pod's automounted token and authenticate to the API server with the controller account's cluster-wide Secret permissions. Worker-node control and another workload able to patch Node objects are required; successful use exposes cluster Secrets and enables cluster takeover.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-36537
Published
Jul 24, 2024
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
cert-manager
Product
cert-manager
Classifications
CWE-284, T1528
Attack vector
network
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 24, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 2, 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=1.14.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

cert-manager · cert-managerversion=1.14.4

Published CVSS scores

7.2NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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.

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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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-284Improper Access Control
T1528Steal Application Access Token

Public exploit references

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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