Red Hat Strimzi Console: Arbitrary Image Deployment Enables Cluster-Wide Control-Plane Access
Attackers with create permissions on Console resources can deploy arbitrary images to gain cluster-wide Strimzi control-plane access.
Key points
- The flaw allows setting container images to arbitrary values in Console custom resources.
- Deployed pods inherit ServiceAccount permissions granting cluster-wide read and write access.
- Red Hat StreamsHub Console versions before 0.12.10 and 0.14.2 are affected.
A critical privilege escalation vulnerability in Red Hat Strimzi Console allows Kubernetes tenants with limited permissions to seize control of the entire Strimzi control plane. According to the National Vulnerability Database record for CVE-2026-105312, the flaw enables attackers to bypass tenant isolation boundaries. Security teams using affected versions of Red Hat Streams for Apache Kafka must verify their configurations immediately.
Root cause
The underlying issue stems from insufficient validation of container image specifications within Console custom resources. A tenant possessing create permissions on these resources can modify the spec.containers.api.spec.image field. This modification allows the insertion of an arbitrary container image rather than the intended operator-managed image. The system fails to restrict which images can be deployed in this context.
Attack path
Once the arbitrary image is deployed, the operator creates a pod running that code. This pod operates under a ServiceAccount bound via ClusterRoleBinding to a ClusterRole. This role grants cluster-wide get, list, and watch permissions on all Strimzi CRDs, including KafkaUsers. It also allows patching of Kafkas and KafkaRebalances, plus cluster-monitoring-view access. The attacker’s code reads the projected ServiceAccount token to execute these commands.
Affected versions
- Red Hat StreamsHub Console for Apache Kafka before version 0.12.10
- Red Hat StreamsHub Console for Apache Kafka before version 0.14.2
- Red Hat Streams for Apache Kafka 2
- Red Hat Streams for Apache Kafka 3
Mitigation
- Upgrade Red Hat StreamsHub Console to version 0.12.10 or later.
- Upgrade Red Hat StreamsHub Console to version 0.14.2 or later.
- Restrict create permissions on Console custom resources to trusted administrators only.
- Audit existing pods for unexpected container images in Strimzi namespaces.
Signals worth monitoring
Security operations teams should monitor for unexpected container image deployments within Strimzi operator namespaces. Check audit logs for create operations on Console custom resources by non-administrative service accounts. Look for new pods running images not signed by the vendor. Alert on any pod attempting to read projected ServiceAccount tokens in control-plane namespaces. Investigate sudden increases in CRD watch or list calls from unexpected sources. Verify that all Strimzi pods are running the expected official images.
Background: Tenant isolation
Tenant isolation ensures that resources belonging to different users remain strictly separated within a shared cloud environment. It prevents lateral movement, stops data leakage between accounts, and reduces the blast radius of a security breach. Proper isolation is the foundation of multi-tenant security.
Read the full guide: Tenant isolation: why shared infrastructure needs strict boundaries
What to do and how to stay safe: Red Hat
- Review Kubernetes RBAC policies to ensure only necessary users have create permissions on Console resources.
- Implement image admission controllers to block unapproved container images in critical namespaces.
- Monitor audit logs for anomalous ServiceAccount token usage by Strimzi operator pods.
- Once the vendor provides an update, schedule immediate patching for all affected clusters.
Step-by-step guide: Privilege Escalation Attack Prevention Checklist for Secure Systems
General security guidance from the Firewall Pulse newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CVSS score for CVE-2026-105312?
The National Vulnerability Database rates the severity as Critical with a CVSS score of 9.9.
Which specific permissions does the attacker gain?
The attacker gains cluster-wide get, list, and watch access to Strimzi CRDs and patch access to Kafkas.
Is there a fix available for Red Hat Streams for Apache Kafka 2?
The source material lists affected versions but does not confirm a specific patch version for Kafka 2.
