Description
A security issue was discovered in ingress-nginx where the `nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/rewrite-target` 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.)
Published: 2026-03-09
Score: 8.8 High
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
AI Analysis

Impact

The vulnerability allows injection of arbitrary nginx configuration through the nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/rewrite-target annotation in ingress-nginx. This injection can result in code that runs with the same privileges as the ingress-nginx controller and can also expose cluster-wide Secrets accessible to the controller, representing a serious confidentiality and integrity breach. The weakness is a classic input validation flaw (CWE-20); the NVD also records a generic "no information" marker (NVD-CWE-noinfo).

Affected Systems

The issue affects deployments of the Kubernetes ingress-nginx controller. No specific version details are supplied, so all copies that include the vulnerable rewrite‑target annotation handler are susceptible until a fix is applied and the controller is updated to a secure release.

Risk and Exploitability

With a CVSS score of 8.8 the vulnerability is considered high severity. The EPSS score lists a probability of exploitation below 1 %, indicating that the risk of exploitation in the wild is currently low, and the issue is not flagged in the CISA KEV catalog. The likely attack vector requires the ability to create or modify Ingress resources containing the rewrite‑target annotation, so an attacker would need cluster RBAC privileges or compromised credentials that allow that level of access. An attacker with that capability can inject malicious configuration into nginx, execute arbitrary code, and leak Secrets.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on May 6, 2026 at 21:13 UTC.

Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

OpenCVE Recommended Actions

  • Upgrade the ingress-nginx controller to a version where this injection flaw is fixed.
  • If an upgrade is not immediately possible, remove or ignore the nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/rewrite-target annotation from all Ingress definitions, or restrict its usage to only trusted services.
  • Apply strict RBAC rules that limit which accounts can create or modify Ingress resources, ensuring only privileged users have that capability.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on May 6, 2026 at 21:13 UTC.

Tracking

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Advisories

No advisories yet.

History

Wed, 06 May 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses NVD-CWE-noinfo
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:ingress-nginx:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics ssvc

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

ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Tue, 10 Mar 2026 16:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

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


Tue, 10 Mar 2026 14:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Kubernetes
Kubernetes ingress-nginx
Vendors & Products Kubernetes
Kubernetes ingress-nginx

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 21:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description A security issue was discovered in ingress-nginx where the `nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/rewrite-target` 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.)
Title ingress-nginx rewrite-target nginx configuration injection
Weaknesses CWE-20
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

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


Subscriptions

Kubernetes Ingress-nginx
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: kubernetes

Published:

Updated: 2026-04-30T12:40:52.366Z

Reserved: 2026-02-26T16:47:50.459Z

Link: CVE-2026-3288

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-03-09T21:08:26.697Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Analyzed

Published: 2026-03-09T21:16:20.900

Modified: 2026-05-06T17:51:14.187

Link: CVE-2026-3288

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-05-06T21:15:13Z

Weaknesses