Possible image tampering from missing image validation for Packages

Exploitation

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

CVSS

8.3 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS

• CVE-2023-38495: 0.84% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 57.76 (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.

Impact Crossplanes 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. Patches The problem has been fixed in 1.11.5, 1.12.3 and 1.13.0, all the supported versions of Crossplane at the time of writing. Workarounds Only using images from trusted sources and keeping Package editing/creating privileges to administrators only, which should be both considered already best practices. References See ADA-XP-23-11 in the Security Audit's report. Credits This was reported as ADA-XP-23-11 by @AdamKorcz and @DavidKorczynski from Ada Logic and facilitated by OSTIF as part of the Security Audit sponsored by CNCF.

Published by the source

28 Jul 2023, 15:33 UTC

Last modified by the source

7 Nov 2023, 05:03 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 14:59 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-pj4x-2xr5-w87m

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2023-38495

Advisory: Possible image tampering from missing image validation for Packages
IDs: CVE-2023-38495, GHSA-pj4x-2xr5-w87m
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2023-38495 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 14:59 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 8.3)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: github.com/crossplane/crossplane 1.12.3, 1.11.5. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Go github.com/crossplane/crossplane: affected < 1.11.5; >= 1.12.0, < 1.12.3; fixed in 1.12.3, 1.11.5

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Go github.com/crossplane/crossplane: 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/crossplane/crossplane.
- 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-pj4x-2xr5-w87m (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-pj4x-2xr5-w87m lists affected ranges: Go github.com/crossplane/crossplane >=0 =1.12.0 <1.12.3)

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