CVE-2025-24514 Scanner

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 server's integrity. Attackers gain potential access to sensitive data managed by the controller, such as Secrets. Such vulnerabilities are especially concerning in environments storing or transmitting sensitive information. The risk escalates given that once exploited, it may lead to a complete system takeover.

The specific technical flaw exists in the treatment of the `auth-url` annotation within ingress configurations. When exploited, the attacker can load unauthorized modules by passing code as the annotation's value. The payload in this context involves injecting `load_module` commands, which are interpreted as legitimate configuration options. This bypasses typical configurations that prevent unsanctioned module loading. The endpoints and parameters vulnerable to such code injection are often those interacting with network resource annotations. Misconfiguration allows the injection, leading to a breakdown of the intended security model. This makes it crucial for developers to handle the annotation processing securely, validating and sanitizing all inputs.

When such a vulnerability is successfully exploited, the implications could be severe. Malicious actors might execute arbitrary commands on the server, leading to data breaches, information theft, or further compromise of the system. The attacker gains privilege escalation capabilities, thus manipulating the server or client interactions. System stability may deteriorate, resulting in operational disruptions or outages. Additionally, the attacker could use this flaw to pivot and escalate attacks beyond the initial point of breach, potentially compromising other components within the network. The breach of sensitive data such as cluster-wide secrets remains a significant concern.

REFERENCES

• https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/issues/131006
• https://www.wiz.io/blog/ingress-nginx-kubernetes-vulnerabilities
• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-24514