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Scenario #241
Security
K8s v1.22, Azure AKS
Unpatched Vulnerabilities in Cluster Nodes
Cluster nodes were not regularly patched, exposing known vulnerabilities that were later exploited by attackers.
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What Happened
The Kubernetes cluster nodes were running outdated operating system versions with unpatched security vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities were exploited in a targeted attack, compromising the nodes and enabling unauthorized access.
Diagnosis Steps
- 1Conducted a security audit of the nodes and identified several unpatched operating system vulnerabilities.
- 2Reviewed cluster logs and found evidence of unauthorized access attempts targeting known vulnerabilities.
Root Cause
Lack of regular patching of cluster nodes allowed known vulnerabilities to be exploited.
Fix/Workaround
• Patches were applied to all affected nodes to fix known vulnerabilities.
• Established a regular patch management process to ensure that cluster nodes were kept up to date.Lessons Learned
Regular patching of Kubernetes nodes and underlying operating systems is essential for preventing security exploits.
How to Avoid
- 1Implement automated patching and vulnerability scanning for cluster nodes.
- 2Regularly review security advisories and apply patches promptly.