NULL Pointer Dereference in Kubernetes CSI snapshot-controller

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

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

EPSS

• CVE-2020-8569: 2.21% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 82.63 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Kubernetes CSI snapshot-controller prior to v2.1.3 and v3.0.2 could panic when processing a VolumeSnapshot custom resource when: - The VolumeSnapshot referenced a non-existing PersistentVolumeClaim and the VolumeSnapshot did not reference any VolumeSnapshotClass. - The snapshot-controller crashes, is automatically restarted by Kubernetes, and processes the same VolumeSnapshot custom resource after the restart, entering an endless crashloop. Only the volume snapshot feature is affected by this vulnerability. When exploited, users can’t take snapshots of their volumes or delete the snapshots. All other Kubernetes functionality is not affected.

Published by the source

15 Feb 2022, 01:57 UTC

Last modified by the source

9 Jan 2023, 05:04 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 14:54 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-hwrr-rhmm-vcvf

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2020-8569

Advisory: NULL Pointer Dereference in Kubernetes CSI snapshot-controller
IDs: CVE-2020-8569, GHSA-hwrr-rhmm-vcvf
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2020-8569 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 14:54 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 6.5)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: github.com/kubernetes-csi/external-snapshotter/v3 3.0.2; github.com/kubernetes-csi/external-snapshotter/v2 2.1.3. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Go github.com/kubernetes-csi/external-snapshotter/v3: affected >= 3.0.0, < 3.0.2; fixed in 3.0.2
- Go github.com/kubernetes-csi/external-snapshotter/v2: affected >= 2.0.0, < 2.1.3; fixed in 2.1.3

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Go github.com/kubernetes-csi/external-snapshotter/v3: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Go github.com/kubernetes-csi/external-snapshotter/v2: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on github.com/kubernetes-csi/external-snapshotter/v3, github.com/kubernetes-csi/external-snapshotter/v2.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-hwrr-rhmm-vcvf (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-hwrr-rhmm-vcvf lists affected ranges: Go github.com/kubernetes-csi/external-snapshotter/v2 >=2.0.0 =3.0.0 <3.0.2)

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