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Red Hat StreamsHub Console: Privilege escalation via tenant-controlled container image

CVE-2026-105312Critical 9.9

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Summary

StreamsHub Console, packaged by Red Hat as console-operator in Streams for Apache Kafka, lets an authenticated Kubernetes tenant with create or update rights on Console custom resources run an arbitrary container image. That image runs under a service account with cluster-wide read and some write permissions on Strimzi resources, so an attacker can read the projected token and access Kafka control-plane resources across tenants. The attack requires a shared cluster where non-administrators can manage Console resources; single-owner clusters have limited exposure.

Affected

  • StreamsHub Console 0.2.0 to before 0.12.10
  • StreamsHub Console 0.13.0 to before 0.14.2
  • Red Hat Streams for Apache Kafka 2 and 3 (console-operator, default affected per CNA)

Fixed in

  • StreamsHub Console 0.14.2 (adds container image allow-list, upstream #3039)
  • StreamsHub Console 0.12.10: unknown whether it contains the fix
  • Red Hat Streams for Apache Kafka 2 and 3 builds: unknown, check the Red Hat advisory
  • Follow-up hardening in PR #3049: release unknown, use the newest release

Workaround

  • Remove create, update and patch rights on consoles.console.streamshub.github.com from tenant-level Roles
  • Enforce a trusted registry allow-list for spec.containers.api.spec.image with OPA/Gatekeeper or Kyverno
  • Restrict egress of the console-api pod to required endpoints with network policies
  • Limit the console service account to namespace scope and monitor service account token file access (e.g. Falco or eBPF)
  • Deploy the Console operator only in single-tenant clusters where only administrators manage Console CRs

Exploitation

  • Not known to be exploited in the wild; not listed in CISA KEV
  • No public proof of concept found at time of research
  • CISA SSVC: Exploitation none, Automatable no, Technical Impact total

Our recommendation

  • Identify all clusters running StreamsHub Console or the Red Hat console-operator
  • Remove Console create and update rights from non-administrative roles now
  • Upgrade to 0.14.2 or later and verify the 0.12 line and Red Hat builds against the advisory
  • Apply the workarounds until patched and monitor Console CR changes and service account activity
  • Prioritise shared clusters with several teams; single-owner clusters carry lower risk

Public exploits

PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.

Research sources

Researched and written up in English and German by an AI (Claude by Anthropic) based on NVD, CISA, EPSS and the sources listed. The vendor information is authoritative. Researched on 30 Oct 2026, 15:14.

Original description (NVD)

A Kubernetes tenant with create permission on Console custom resources can set spec.containers.api.spec.image to an arbitrary container image. The operator deploys this image into a pod whose ServiceAccount is bound via ClusterRoleBinding to a ClusterRole granting cluster-wide get/list/watch on all Strimzi CRDs (including KafkaUsers), patch on Kafkas/KafkaRebalances, and cluster-monitoring-view. The attacker's code reads the projected SA token and gains cross-tenant Strimzi control-plane read+write access.

NVD references (2)

Sources

The tracker combines official, freely usable data sources – updated continuously:

This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS data © FIRST.org.

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