Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This Kubernetes API server flaw could let an authenticated user with permissions in one namespace affect a cluster-wide custom resource. The issue is not listed as actively exploited in the provided data, but it can undermine tenant or namespace boundaries in affected clusters.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for multi-tenant or namespace-segmented Kubernetes environments. The CVSS score is medium, but the business concern is boundary bypass across cluster-scoped resources.
Technical view
kube-apiserver incorrectly handled cluster-scoped custom resources requested through a namespaced path. Authorization could be evaluated using namespace Role and RoleBinding permissions, allowing create, read, update, or delete actions on the cluster-scoped resource according to the namespace role privileges.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to Kubernetes clusters running affected versions and using cluster-scoped custom resources with namespace RBAC permissions that grant relevant verbs to authenticated users.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not support active exploitation. KEV is false. Exploitation requires Kubernetes API access, low privileges, and a matching custom resource and RBAC configuration, with high attack complexity per CVSS.
Researcher notes
The key behavior is authorization scope confusion, mapped to CWE-20. Validate exposure by correlating affected kube-apiserver versions, cluster-scoped CRDs, and namespace RBAC grants. The provided bundle names fixed upstream versions but does not provide exploit evidence.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade Kubernetes to 1.13.9, 1.14.5, 1.15.2, or later fixed versions.
- Move unsupported 1.7 through 1.12 clusters to a supported fixed release.
- Review Kubernetes, Red Hat, or NetApp guidance for distribution-specific fixes.
- Reduce namespace Role permissions for custom resources where not operationally required.
- Monitor audit logs for unexpected custom resource access patterns.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Kubernetes API server versions across all clusters.
- Identify cluster-scoped custom resources present in affected clusters.
- Review Roles and RoleBindings granting custom resource verbs to namespace users.
- Confirm fixed Kubernetes or vendor package versions are deployed.
- Check audit logs for unusual access to cluster-scoped custom resources.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-20: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupContainer behavior lookup
The affected technology mentions containers, so container-specific ATT&CK technique review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2019-11247 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 5 (3.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L1.63.4Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.0 score
5MediumVector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/issues/80983CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- v1.13.9, v1.14.5, v1.15.2 released to address CVE-2019-11247, CVE-2019-11249CVE reference · mailing-list, x_refsource_MLIST
- RHSA-2019:2690CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20190919-0003/CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- RHBA-2019:2816CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHBA-2019:2824CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHSA-2019:2769CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Input Validation
Improper Input Validation represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.