CVE-2025-24514 Overview
A security issue was discovered in ingress-nginx where the auth-url Ingress annotation can be used to inject configuration into nginx. This can lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the ingress-nginx controller, and disclosure of Secrets accessible to the controller. Note that in the default installation, the controller can access all Secrets cluster-wide.
Critical Impact
This vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code and potentially access sensitive data within the Kubernetes cluster.
Affected Products
- ingress-nginx (specific versions not detailed)
Discovery Timeline
- Not Available - Vulnerability discovered by Not Available
- Not Available - Responsible disclosure to Not Available
- Not Available - CVE CVE-2025-24514 assigned
- Not Available - Vendor releases security patch
- 2025-03-25 - CVE CVE-2025-24514 published to NVD
- 2025-11-03 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-24514
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability arises from improper validation of the auth-url Ingress annotation, which allows injection of arbitrary configuration values into nginx. Exploiting this can lead to remote code execution and exposure of secrets managed by the ingress-nginx controller.
Root Cause
Improper input validation in the processing of Ingress annotations, specifically the auth-url, allowing configuration injection.
Attack Vector
This vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network by supplying malicious annotations to an Ingress resource in the Kubernetes cluster.
# Example exploitation code
location / {
set $auth_url "http://malicious.example.com"; # Injected URL
}
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-24514
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected configuration changes in ingress-nginx
- Anomalous network traffic to unauthorized URLs
- Unauthorized access to Kubernetes secrets
Detection Strategies
Monitor configuration changes in ingress-nginx. Use anomaly detection to identify unusual HTTP requests or configuration changes related to auth-url annotations.
Monitoring Recommendations
Implement continuous monitoring of ingress configurations and network traffic. Use SentinelOne's Singularity™ platform to automatically detect and alert on configuration injections.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-24514
Immediate Actions Required
- Update ingress-nginx to the latest patched version immediately.
- Audit ingress configurations for unauthorized auth-url annotations.
- Implement network segmentation to limit access to secrets and sensitive endpoints.
Patch Information
Refer to ingress-nginx project's official repository and advisories for patch details.
Workarounds
Limit the permissions of ingress-nginx controller to reduce the risk of exploitation and disable annotations that are not used.
# Configuration example
git clone https://github.com/kubernetes/ingress-nginx
kubectl edit deployment/ingress-nginx-controller -n ingress-nginx
# Remove or restrict 'auth-url' annotation usage
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
