HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2023-38495
CRITICAL

CVE-2023-38495

CWE-20Published: July 27, 2023· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

9.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Crossplane is a framework for building cloud native control planes without needing to write code. In versions prior to 1.11.5, 1.12.3, and 1.13.0, Crossplane's image backend does not validate the byte contents of Crossplane packages. As such, Crossplane does not detect if an attacker has tampered with a Package. The problem has been fixed in 1.11.5, 1.12.3 and 1.13.0. As a workaround, only use images from trusted sources and keep Package editing/creating privileges to administrators only.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2023-38495 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 9.8.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

cncf1 product(s)
crossplane
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

ADVISORYhttps://github.com/crossplane/crossplane/blob/ac8b24fe739c5d942ea885157148497f196c3dd3/security/ADA-security-audit-23.pdf
ADVISORYhttps://github.com/crossplane/crossplane/security/advisories/GHSA-pj4x-2xr5-w87m
ADVISORYhttps://github.com/crossplane/crossplane/blob/ac8b24fe739c5d942ea885157148497f196c3dd3/security/ADA-security-audit-23.pdf
ADVISORYhttps://github.com/crossplane/crossplane/security/advisories/GHSA-pj4x-2xr5-w87m

All References (4)

→
https://github.com/crossplane/crossplane/blob/ac8b24fe739c5d942ea885157148497f196c3dd3/security/ADA-security-audit-23.pdfExploit · Technical Description · Vendor Advisory
→
https://github.com/crossplane/crossplane/security/advisories/GHSA-pj4x-2xr5-w87mVendor Advisory
→
https://github.com/crossplane/crossplane/blob/ac8b24fe739c5d942ea885157148497f196c3dd3/security/ADA-security-audit-23.pdfExploit · Technical Description · Vendor Advisory
→
https://github.com/crossplane/crossplane/security/advisories/GHSA-pj4x-2xr5-w87mVendor Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2023-38495
CVSS Score9.8 / 10
SeverityCRITICAL
WeaknessCWE-20
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedJul 27, 2023

Related CVEs (CWE-20)

CVE-2020-13753
10.0
CVE-2021-23279
10.0
CVE-2020-12388
10.0
CVE-2020-12389
10.0
CVE-2021-21321
10.0
CVE-2025-34060
10.0

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2023-38495 in threat intel feeds
  • →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWatch. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.
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