External Secrets Operator reads information from a third-party service and automatically injects the values as Kubernetes Secrets. Starting in version 0.20.2 and prior to version 1.2.0, the `getSecretKey` template function, while introduced for senhasegura Devops Secrets Management (DSM) provider, has the ability to fetch secrets cross-namespaces with the roleBinding of the external-secrets controller, bypassing our security mechanisms. This function was completely removed in version 1.2.0, as everything done with that templating function can be done in a different way while respecting External Secrets Operator's safeguards As a workaround, use a policy engine such as Kubernetes, Kyverno, Kubewarden, or OPA to prevent the usage of `getSecretKey` in any ExternalSecret resource.
Advisories
Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-77v3-r3jw-j2v2 External Secrets Operator insecurely retrieves secrets through the getSecretKey templating function
Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 16:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared External-secrets
External-secrets external-secrets
Vendors & Products External-secrets
External-secrets external-secrets

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 8.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

threat_severity

Important


Thu, 22 Jan 2026 23:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Wed, 21 Jan 2026 21:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description External Secrets Operator reads information from a third-party service and automatically injects the values as Kubernetes Secrets. Starting in version 0.20.2 and prior to version 1.2.0, the `getSecretKey` template function, while introduced for senhasegura Devops Secrets Management (DSM) provider, has the ability to fetch secrets cross-namespaces with the roleBinding of the external-secrets controller, bypassing our security mechanisms. This function was completely removed in version 1.2.0, as everything done with that templating function can be done in a different way while respecting External Secrets Operator's safeguards As a workaround, use a policy engine such as Kubernetes, Kyverno, Kubewarden, or OPA to prevent the usage of `getSecretKey` in any ExternalSecret resource.
Title External Secrets Operator insecurely retrieves secrets through the getSecretKey templating function
Weaknesses CWE-863
References
Metrics cvssV4_0

{'score': 9.3, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H'}


Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: GitHub_M

Published:

Updated: 2026-01-22T16:50:23.708Z

Reserved: 2026-01-09T22:50:10.289Z

Link: CVE-2026-22822

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-01-22T15:10:58.931Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Awaiting Analysis

Published: 2026-01-21T22:15:49.380

Modified: 2026-01-26T15:04:59.737

Link: CVE-2026-22822

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Important

Publid Date: 2026-01-21T21:22:05Z

Links: CVE-2026-22822 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-01-22T10:08:30Z

Weaknesses