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Medium, CVSS 4.9

Kong Ingress Controller for Kubernetes (KIC): Secret-backed plugin configurations leak through non-sensitive diagnostics endpoint

GHSA-3278-c88v-xrh4

What to do

Partial vendor fix. Follow the primary source's mitigation guidance and check back for a fix.

This page has no inventory attached, so it cannot say whether you are affected. A vendor fix is not proof that your deployment is fixed.

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Affected packages

  • Go github.com/kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller

    Affected
    <= 1.3.4
    Fixed in
    no fixed version recorded

  • Go github.com/kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller/v2

    Affected
    <= 2.12.8
    Fixed in
    no fixed version recorded

  • Go github.com/kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller/v3

    Affected
    <= 3.5.6
    Fixed in
    3.5.7

Sources

Severity and exploitation
Exploitation
No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.
CVSS 4.0
4.9 · CVSS:4.0/AV:A/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:N/SA:N · score source
EPSS
No dated EPSS signal available.
Source description

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary A vulnerability in the Kong Ingress Controller (KIC) allows for the unauthorized exposure of sensitive plugin credentials through the diagnostics interface. Even when configured to redact sensitive information (using --dump-sensitive-config=false), KIC fails to sanitize the Plugins field in diagnostic configuration dumps. This causes secrets referenced via configFrom.secretKeyRef to be resolved and displayed in plaintext. Because the diagnostics HTTP endpoints require no authentication, any process within the cluster network capable of reaching the KIC pod can exfiltrate sensitive data, including API keys, bearer tokens, and database passwords. Am I affected? You are affected if all of the following hold: 1. You are using Kong Ingress Controller with diagnostics enabled (--dump-config=true). 2. You have not explicitly enabled sensitive dumping (--dump-sensitive-config=false), creating an expectation of redaction. 3. You use KongPlugin or KongClusterPlugin resources that…

Dates and revisions
Published by the source
Last modified by the source
Source last checked
  1. Revision 1 · created ·

    Published from ghsa record GHSA-3278-c88v-xrh4

Agent brief

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# Patch Next advisory brief: GHSA-3278-c88v-xrh4

Advisory: Kong Ingress Controller for Kubernetes (KIC): Secret-backed plugin configurations leak through non-sensitive diagnostics endpoint
IDs: GHSA-3278-c88v-xrh4
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/ghsa-3278-c88v-xrh4 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 15:23 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 4.9)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Partial vendor fix; fixed versions by package: github.com/kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller/v3 3.5.7. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Go github.com/kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller: affected <= 1.3.4
- Go github.com/kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller/v2: affected <= 2.12.8
- Go github.com/kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller/v3: affected <= 3.5.6; fixed in 3.5.7

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

## Supported action
No complete vendor fix is recorded. Follow the primary source's mitigation guidance and check this record again before closing anything.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on github.com/kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller, github.com/kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller/v2, github.com/kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller/v3.
- 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-3278-c88v-xrh4 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-3278-c88v-xrh4 lists affected ranges: Go github.com/kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller/v2 >=0 =0 =0 <=3.5.6)

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