S4E just found a high-severity finding from top 10 tcp port service scan
PlatformPlansPartners
Resources
ToolsBlogDocs
Sign Up →
high·Product Based Web Vulnerabilities·Updated Apr 10, 2025

CVE-2025-24514 Scanner

Targets the auth-url annotation in Ingress-Nginx Controller, allowing an attacker to inject arbitrary code and execute commands on the host.

Est. Time~10 seconds
Scan TypeSingle Scan
Targetsdomain, subdomain, ipv4
CostFree
2.6k
Times Used
continuous scan runs
5.9k
Continuously Checked
assets under CS
1
Vulnerabilities Found
confirmed findings
References
CVECVE-2025-24514
8.8
CVSShigh
Exploitable remotely over the internet · low-privilege account sufficient.

A security issue was discovered in ingress-nginx https://github.com/kubernetes/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.)

Attack Vector
Network
Privileges Req.
Low
User Interaction
None
Affected
ingress-nginxby kubernetes
0
Updated Sep 9, 2026View on NVD →
Detail

Ingress-Nginx Controller is a widely used software in the Kubernetes ecosystem, allowing users to manage and distribute incoming network traffic. Typically deployed by DevOps professionals and cloud architects, its main purpose is enabling ingress rules for applications hosted within Kubernetes clusters. It is popular for providing a seamless integration with various services, aiding the deployment of diverse, scalable, and robust applications. Industries such as tech, finance, and e-commerce rely on it extensively to handle their cloud infrastructure. The high configurability and versatility of the controller make it a go-to choice for large-scale cloud environments. Its significant community support further solidifies its role in modern application deployment pipelines.

The Code Injection vulnerability pertains to a security flaw where untrusted input is injected as code into a program without adequate validation or sanitization. In the context of Ingress-Nginx, an attacker leverages this by manipulating the `auth-url` annotation to execute unauthorized code on the server. This vulnerability permits arbitrary code execution within the context of the host, thereby compromising the entire Kubernetes node. The root cause lies in insufficient input validation when processing annotation values, allowing crafted payloads to bypass security measures.

Specifically, the vulnerable endpoint is the Ingress-Nginx Controller's annotation parser, which processes the `auth-url` annotation. An attacker can inject malicious code into this annotation, which is then executed by the controller's Lua scripts. The parameter `auth-url` is not properly sanitized, enabling injection of shell commands or Lua code. This can be exploited by sending a specially crafted ingress resource definition to the Kubernetes API server, triggering the vulnerability during the controller's reconciliation loop.

If exploited, an attacker can achieve remote code execution on the host running the Ingress-Nginx Controller. This could lead to full cluster compromise, data exfiltration, lateral movement to other services, and disruption of critical applications. The high CVSS score of 8.8 reflects the severe impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Organizations using Ingress-Nginx Controller in production environments face significant risk, especially those handling sensitive data in finance, healthcare, or e-commerce sectors.

Solution Advice
  • Upgrade Ingress-Nginx Controller to version 1.11.5 or later, which includes the fix for CVE-2025-24514.
  • Restrict the use of the `auth-url` annotation to only trusted and validated configurations.
  • Implement input validation and sanitization for all annotation values, especially those that can contain user-controlled data.
  • Apply network policies to limit the controller's access to only necessary resources and prevent lateral movement.
  • Enable audit logging for Kubernetes API server to monitor changes to ingress resources and detect suspicious annotations.
  • Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focusing on ingress configurations and annotation handling.
  • Use admission controllers like OPA Gatekeeper or Kyverno to enforce policies that block dangerous annotations.
  • Monitor controller logs for unusual activity, such as unexpected code execution or error messages related to annotation processing.

Get AI-powered remediation steps tailored to your asset.

Try AI Solutions →

Check your infrastructure.
Right now.

11,000+ scanners. Free to start. No credit card required.

Ingress-Nginx Code Injection Scanner | S4E Free Check