CVE-2022-24726: Istio is an open platform to connect, manage, and secure microservices. In affected versions the Istio control plane, istiod, is vulnerable to a reque...

Description

Istio is an open platform to connect, manage, and secure microservices. In affected versions the Istio control plane, istiod, is vulnerable to a request processing error, allowing a malicious attacker that sends a specially crafted message which results in the control plane crashing when the validating webhook for a cluster is exposed publicly. This endpoint is served over TLS port 15017, but does not require any authentication from the attacker. For simple installations, Istiod is typically only reachable from within the cluster, limiting the blast radius. However, for some deployments, especially [external istiod](https://istio.io/latest/docs/setup/install/external-controlplane/) topologies, this port is exposed over the public internet. This issue has been patched in versions 1.13.2, 1.12.5 and 1.11.8. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should disable access to a validating webhook that is exposed to the public internet or restrict the set of IP addresses that can query it to a set of known, trusted entities.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.5/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

EPSS Probability

1.53%

71.5th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Istio	Istio	< 1.11.8
Istio	Istio	>= 1.12.0, < 1.12.5
Istio	Istio	>= 1.13.0, < 1.13.2

References

https://github.com/golang/go/issues/51112Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/istio/istio/commit/6ca5055a4db6695ef5504eabdfde3799f2ea91fdPatch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/istio/istio/security/advisories/GHSA-8w5h-qr4r-2h6gIssue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/golang/go/issues/51112Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/istio/istio/commit/6ca5055a4db6695ef5504eabdfde3799f2ea91fdPatch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/istio/istio/security/advisories/GHSA-8w5h-qr4r-2h6gIssue Tracking, Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Mar 10, 2022
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-24726?

Istio is an open platform to connect, manage, and secure microservices. In affected versions the Istio control plane, istiod, is vulnerable to a request processing error, allowing a malicious attacker that sends a specially crafted message which results in the control plane crashing when the validating webhook for a cluster is exposed publicly. This endpoint is served over TLS port 15017, but does not require any authentication from the attacker. For simple installations, Istiod is typically only reachable from within the cluster, limiting the blast radius. However, for some deployments, especially [external istiod](https://istio.io/latest/docs/setup/install/external-controlplane/) topologies, this port is exposed over the public internet. This issue has been patched in versions 1.13.2, 1.12.5 and 1.11.8. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should disable access to a validating webhook that is exposed to the public internet or restrict the set of IP addresses that can query it to a set of known, trusted entities.

How severe is CVE-2022-24726?

CVE-2022-24726 has a CVSS score of 7.5/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 1.53% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2022-24726?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.