Paper/Archive/CVE-2026-22822

CVE-2026-22822

external-secrets external-secrets — External Secrets Operator insecurely retrieves secrets through the getSecretKey templating function

Description · from the CVE record

External Secrets Operator reads information from a third-party service and automatically injects the values as Kubernetes Secrets. Starting in version 0.20.2 and prior to version 1.2.0, the `getSecretKey` template function, while introduced for senhasegura Devops Secrets Management (DSM) provider, has the ability to fetch secrets cross-namespaces with the roleBinding of the external-secrets controller, bypassing our security mechanisms. This function was completely removed in version 1.2.0, as everything done with that templating function can be done in a different way while respecting External Secrets Operator's safeguards As a workaround, use a policy engine such as Kubernetes, Kyverno, Kubewarden, or OPA to prevent the usage of `getSecretKey` in any ExternalSecret resource.

Affected

ProductAffectedFixed inSource
external-secrets>= 0.20.2, < 1.2.0–CNA
External Secrets Operator for Red Hat OpenShiftsee advisory–redhat-SADP
External Secrets Operator for Red Hat OpenShiftsee advisory–redhat-SADP
External Secrets Operator for Red Hat OpenShiftsee advisory–redhat-SADP
External Secrets Operator for Red Hat OpenShiftsee advisory–redhat-SADP
external secrets operator for Red Hat OpenShift - Tech Previewsee advisory–redhat-SADP
external secrets operator for Red Hat OpenShift - Tech Previewsee advisory–redhat-SADP
external secrets operator for Red Hat OpenShift - Tech Previewsee advisory–redhat-SADP
external secrets operator for Red Hat OpenShift - Tech Previewsee advisory–redhat-SADP

Scores by source

GitHub_M (CNA)9.3CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H
redhat-SADP (CNA)8.8CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
CISA ADPSSVCExploitation: none · Automatable: no · Technical impact: total

References

refgithub.com/external-secrets/external-secrets/security/advisories/GHSA-77v3-r3jw-j2v2refgithub.com/external-secrets/external-secrets/issues/5690refgithub.com/external-secrets/external-secrets/pull/3895refgithub.com/external-secrets/external-secrets/commit/17d3e22b8d3fbe339faf8515a95ec06ec92b1febrefgithub.com/external-secrets/external-secrets/releases/tag/v1.2.0refaccess.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-22822refbugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2431873refsecurity.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-22822.json