CVE-2023-27484: crossplane-runtime is a set of go libraries used to build Kubernetes controllers in Crossplane and its related stacks. In affected versions an already...

Description

crossplane-runtime is a set of go libraries used to build Kubernetes controllers in Crossplane and its related stacks. In affected versions an already highly privileged user able to create or update Compositions can specify an arbitrarily high index in a patch's `ToFieldPath`, which could lead to excessive memory usage once such Composition is selected for a Composite resource. Compositions allow users to specify patches inserting elements into arrays at an arbitrary index. When a Composition is selected for a Composite Resource, patches are evaluated and if a specified index is greater than the current size of the target slice, Crossplane will grow that slice up to the specified index, which could lead to an excessive amount of memory usage and therefore the Pod being OOM-Killed. The index is already capped to the maximum value for a uint32 (4294967295) when parsed, but that is still an unnecessarily large value. This issue has been addressed in versions 1.11.2, 1.10.3, and 1.9.2. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade can restrict write privileges on Compositions to only admin users as a workaround.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

4.9/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.68%

47.6th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Crossplane	Crossplane	>= 1.9.0, < 1.9.2
Crossplane	Crossplane	>= 1.10.0, < 1.10.3
Crossplane	Crossplane	>= 1.11.0, < 1.11.2

References

https://github.com/crossplane/crossplane/security/advisories/GHSA-v829-x6hh-cqfqVendor Advisory
https://github.com/crossplane/crossplane/security/advisories/GHSA-v829-x6hh-cqfqVendor Advisory

Timeline

Published: Mar 9, 2023
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-27484?

crossplane-runtime is a set of go libraries used to build Kubernetes controllers in Crossplane and its related stacks. In affected versions an already highly privileged user able to create or update Compositions can specify an arbitrarily high index in a patch's `ToFieldPath`, which could lead to excessive memory usage once such Composition is selected for a Composite resource. Compositions allow users to specify patches inserting elements into arrays at an arbitrary index. When a Composition is selected for a Composite Resource, patches are evaluated and if a specified index is greater than the current size of the target slice, Crossplane will grow that slice up to the specified index, which could lead to an excessive amount of memory usage and therefore the Pod being OOM-Killed. The index is already capped to the maximum value for a uint32 (4294967295) when parsed, but that is still an unnecessarily large value. This issue has been addressed in versions 1.11.2, 1.10.3, and 1.9.2. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade can restrict write privileges on Compositions to only admin users as a workaround.

How severe is CVE-2023-27484?

CVE-2023-27484 has a CVSS score of 4.9/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.68% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2023-27484?

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.