EUVD-2025-21025
CVSS Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Lifecycle Timeline
3Description
Headlamp is an extensible Kubernetes web UI. A command injection vulnerability was discovered in the codeSign.js script used in the macOS packaging workflow of the Kubernetes Headlamp project. This issue arises due to the improper use of Node.js's execSync() function with unsanitized input derived from environment variables, which can be influenced by an attacker. The variables ${teamID}, ${entitlementsPath}, and ${config.app} are dynamically derived from the environment or application config and passed directly to the shell command without proper escaping or argument separation. This exposes the system to command injection if any of the values contain malicious input. This vulnerability is fixed in 0.31.1.
Analysis
CVE-2025-53542 is a command injection vulnerability in Headlamp's macOS packaging workflow (codeSign.js) where unsanitized environment variables and config values are passed directly to Node.js execSync() without proper escaping, allowing local attackers to execute arbitrary commands. This affects Headlamp versions prior to 0.31.1, and while no active KEV or confirmed public POC is mentioned in available data, the vulnerability has a moderate-to-high CVSS score of 7.7 with user interaction required, making it a realistic threat in CI/CD and development environments.
Technical Context
The vulnerability resides in the codeSign.js script used during macOS application packaging in the Headlamp Kubernetes web UI project. The root cause is improper use of Node.js's execSync() function (CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command), a classic OS command injection flaw. Specifically, template variables ${teamID}, ${entitlementsPath}, and ${config.app} are derived from environment variables or application configuration and concatenated directly into shell commands without sanitization, escaping, or argument separation. This allows an attacker who controls these environment variables (e.g., in a compromised build pipeline, through .env files, or via system environment poisoning) to inject shell metacharacters (pipes, semicolons, backticks, command substitution) to execute arbitrary code. The execSync() function spawns a shell interpreter, making it inherently dangerous with untrusted input; proper remediation requires either using execFileSync() with argument arrays or rigorous input validation/escaping.
Affected Products
Headlamp versions < 0.31.1 are affected. The specific affected component is the macOS packaging workflow script (codeSign.js). While no CPE string is provided in the supplied data, the affected product should be identified as: Headlamp (vendor: headlamp-k8s or equivalent, product: headlamp, versions: all prior to 0.31.1). The vulnerability affects organizations or developers using Headlamp on macOS build systems (CI/CD runners, developer workstations) with access to environment variables during the code signing phase. No other platforms or Kubernetes distributions are directly affected; the vulnerability is build-tool-specific, not a runtime/cluster vulnerability.
Remediation
Immediate remediation: (1) Upgrade Headlamp to version 0.31.1 or later, which should include proper input sanitization or refactored command invocation. (2) Patch codeSign.js by replacing the unsafe execSync() call with execFileSync() using an array of arguments (e.g., execFileSync('codesign', ['-s', teamID, '--entitlements', entitlementsPath, config.app]) to prevent shell interpretation), or by using a library like 'shell-escape' or 'shellwords' for proper escaping if shell execution is necessary. (3) Short-term workaround: restrict environment variable access in build pipelines using principle of least privilege; validate that ${teamID}, ${entitlementsPath}, and ${config.app} match expected patterns (regex whitelist) before the build runs. (4) Code review: audit all other Node.js build scripts (webpack config, build.js, etc.) for similar execSync() misuse. Vendor should publish a security advisory with patch details; check Headlamp's GitHub releases (github.com/kinvolk/headlamp or equivalent) for v0.31.1+ release notes.
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