The transformation policy template feature in Kgateway versions through 2.0.4 allows users with TrafficPolicy creation permissions to craft transformations that read and expose arbitrary files from the dataplane container filesystem.
Users with permissions to create a TrafficPolicy can create a transformation that returns files from within the dataplane container. While no secrets are mounted to the container by default, users who mount custom volumes to the dataplane should be aware of potential data exposure through this vulnerability.
This could allow unauthorized access to:
Upgrade to version 2.0.5 or 2.1.0. These versions include an updated transformation filter in envoy-gloo that prevents file access through transformation templates.
If you are not using transformations, you can disallow TrafficPolicy creation or restrict transformation usage using a ValidatingAdmissionPolicy to prevent exploitation while preparing to upgrade.
Kindly reported by @rikatz
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory, please reach out in slack https://cloud-native.slack.com/archives/C080D3PJMS4
| Software | From | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
github.com/kgateway-dev/kgateway/v2
|
- | 2.0.5 |
github.com/kgateway-dev/kgateway/v2
|
2.1.0-agw-cel-rbac | 2.1.0 |
A security vulnerability is a weakness in software, hardware, or configuration that can be exploited to compromise confidentiality, integrity, or availability. Many vulnerabilities are tracked as CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures), which provide a standardized identifier so teams can coordinate patching, mitigation, and risk assessment across tools and vendors.
CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) estimates technical severity, but it doesn't automatically equal business risk. Prioritize using context like internet exposure, affected asset criticality, known exploitation (proof-of-concept or in-the-wild), and whether compensating controls exist. A "Medium" CVSS on an exposed, production system can be more urgent than a "Critical" on an isolated, non-production host.
A vulnerability is the underlying weakness. An exploit is the method or code used to take advantage of it. A zero-day is a vulnerability that is unknown to the vendor or has no publicly available fix when attackers begin using it. In practice, risk increases sharply when exploitation becomes reliable or widespread.
Recurring findings usually come from incomplete Asset Discovery, inconsistent patch management, inherited images, and configuration drift. In modern environments, you also need to watch the software supply chain: dependencies, containers, build pipelines, and third-party services can reintroduce the same weakness even after you patch a single host. Unknown or unmanaged assets (often called Shadow IT) are a common reason the same issues resurface.
Use a simple, repeatable triage model: focus first on externally exposed assets, high-value systems (identity, VPN, email, production), vulnerabilities with known exploits, and issues that enable remote code execution or privilege escalation. Then enforce patch SLAs and track progress using consistent metrics so remediation is steady, not reactive.
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