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Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2023-23939

Azure/setup-kubectl: Escalation of privilege vulnerability for v3 and lower

Published Mar 7, 2023 · catalog updated Sep 10, 2026 · Azure/setup-kubectl: Escalation of privilege

Check if you run it

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2023-23939. EPSS is 0.36%. Act only if a listed version of Azure/setup-kubectl: Escalation of privilege is installed.

Gaps on this record

  • The stored product name is a package slug. The name on this page is taken from the title (Azure/setup-kubectl: Escalation of privilege).
  • No version range is stored. A customer cannot check an installed version against this record.
  • No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.
Severity
Low3.0
Known exploitation
Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
EPSS
0.36%
Remediation
Advisory link
Affected products
GitHub Actions Azure/setup-kubectl

### Impact This vulnerability only impacts versions and lower. An insecure temporary creation of a file allows other actors on the Actions runner to replace the Kubectl binary created by this action because it is world writable. This Kubectl tool installer runs to set permissions on the Kubectl binary, however, this allows any local user to replace the Kubectl binary. This allows privilege escalation to the user that can also run kubectl, most likely root. This attack is only possible if an attacker somehow breached the GitHub actions runner or if a user is utilizing an Action that maliciously executes this attack. No impacted customers have been reported. ### Patches This has been fixed and released in all versions and later. 755 permissions are used instead. ### Workarounds If users absolutely cannot upgrade to or higher than they should be extra diligent of the other GitHub actions they are using in a workflow and ensure that their GitHub actions runner is secure.

Are you affected?

Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.

The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.

  • GitHub Actions Azure/setup-kubectl0 → 3

How to fix CVE-2023-23939

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Should you patch?

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2023-23939. EPSS is 0.36%. Act only if a listed version of Azure/setup-kubectl: Escalation of privilege is installed.

Which versions are affected?

Compare what you have installed with Azure/setup-kubectl 0 → 3. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.

What should an analyst verify?

CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource. EPSS 0.36%. There is no CISA KEV listing. No Exploit-DB or Metasploit reference is linked. Use the source links for the original advisory.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Mar 7, 2023 · GitHub Advisory Database

    Detected

    ### Impact This vulnerability only impacts versions and lower. An insecure temporary creation of a file allows other actors on the Actions runner to replace the Kubectl binary created by this action because it is world writable. This Kubectl tool installer runs to set permissions on the Kubectl binary, however, this allows any local user to replace the Kubectl binary. This allows privilege escalat

  2. Sep 10, 2026 · GitHub Advisory Database

    Fix available

    Azure/setup-kubectl fixed in 3

  3. Sep 10, 2026 · GitHub Advisory Database

    Fix available

    Azure/setup-kubectl fixed in 3

  4. Sep 10, 2026 · GitHub Advisory Database

    Updated

    ### Impact This vulnerability only impacts versions and lower. An insecure temporary creation of a file allows other actors on the Actions runner to replace the Kubectl binary created by this action because it is world writable. This Kubectl tool installer runs to set permissions on the Kubectl binary, however, this allows any local user to replace the Kubectl binary. This allows privilege escalat

Sources

References

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Oct 16, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.