CVE-2026-71471 in Advanced Cluster Management for Kubernetes
Summary
by MITRE • 08/12/2026
A flaw was found in acm-search-v2-rhel9. An attacker with administrative privileges on the hub cluster, specifically with patch access to the Search Custom Resource (CR), could exploit a vulnerability in the `Collector.ImageOverride` field. This allows the attacker to deploy an arbitrary container image across all managed clusters. The consequence is remote code execution (RCE), enabling the attacker to execute commands and potentially access sensitive information across the entire fleet of managed clusters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/13/2026
This vulnerability exists within the acm-search-v2-rhel9 component of the Advanced Cluster Management for Kubernetes platform, specifically targeting the Search Custom Resource functionality. The flaw represents a critical privilege escalation vulnerability that leverages the existing administrative access of an attacker to gain broader system control across multiple managed clusters. The vulnerability is rooted in insufficient input validation and sanitization within the Collector.ImageOverride field processing mechanism, which fails to properly validate or restrict the container image references that can be specified by authorized users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from a lack of proper access controls and image validation within the Search Custom Resource management system. When an attacker with administrative privileges on the hub cluster modifies the Search CR and specifically manipulates the Collector.ImageOverride field, they can specify any container image reference they choose. This design flaw bypasses normal security boundaries that should prevent arbitrary image deployment across all managed clusters connected to the hub. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-264 Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls, as it allows unauthorized code execution through legitimate administrative pathways.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching, potentially enabling complete compromise of the entire managed cluster fleet. Remote code execution capabilities allow attackers to execute arbitrary commands on any cluster within the management scope, providing access to sensitive data, system resources, and potentially leading to lateral movement throughout the infrastructure. The attack vector requires only existing administrative privileges on the hub cluster, making it particularly dangerous as it exploits legitimate administrative access rather than requiring additional exploitation techniques. This vulnerability can be leveraged for persistent access, data exfiltration, and further compromise of connected systems.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing strict image validation controls within the Collector.ImageOverride field processing, enforcing mandatory image signing and verification mechanisms, and implementing least privilege principles for Search CR management. Organizations should establish robust image policy enforcement through admission controllers that validate all container images against approved registries and signatures before deployment. The system should also implement proper segregation of duties between administrative functions and search functionality, ensuring that privileges are not unnecessarily consolidated. Additionally, monitoring and alerting should be implemented to detect unauthorized modifications to Search CRs and suspicious image deployment activities across managed clusters. This vulnerability highlights the importance of secure configuration management and proper input validation in multi-tenant cluster management platforms, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts and T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution patterns that leverage legitimate administrative access for malicious purposes.