CVE-2026-62369: KubeEdge Path Traversal Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-9vm9-pqxx-x83v
CVSS 8.1
CWE-22
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-62369 is a HIGH (CVSS 8.1) path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')) affecting KubeEdge libraries in the Go ecosystem. The issue involves keadm decompresstargz path traversal enables arbitrary file write on windows during edge node join. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.21.2, 1.22.2, 1.23.1.

CVE-2026-62369 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-62369
GHSA Identifier GHSA-9vm9-pqxx-x83v
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 8.1
CWE Classification CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
Affected Product KubeEdge
Package Ecosystem Go
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 8.1

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction Required (UI:R)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2026-62369

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected KubeEdge dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge fixed: 1.21.2
Upgrade github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge to 1.21.2
github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge fixed: 1.22.2
Upgrade github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge to 1.22.2
github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge fixed: 1.23.1
Upgrade github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge to 1.23.1
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:

inspect dependencies for github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2026-62369, inspect your project dependencies for KubeEdge:

inspect dependencies for github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of KubeEdge in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 1.21.2), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal'), where the product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory. In KubeEdge, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

## Description KubeEdge `keadm` contains a path traversal vulnerability in the `DecompressTarGz` archive extraction function. Archive entry names were joined directly with the extraction destination without sufficient validation. A crafted tar.gz archive containing parent-directory components, Windows-style backslashes, absolute paths, or drive-prefixed paths could cause files to be written outside the intended extraction directory. The issue is particularly relevant to Windows edge nodes during the `keadm join` or installation process when `keadm` extracts downloaded component archives. ## Impact An attacker who can cause an affected `keadm` process to extract a malicious archive may write or overwrite files outside the intended destination directory with the privileges of the user running `keadm`. On Windows edge nodes, this may allow modification of configuration files, executable files, service-related files, or other writable system locations. Depending on the overwritten file and the privileges of the `keadm` process, successful exploitation could lead to persistent system modification or code execution. Exploitation requires the attacker to influence the contents of an archive processed by `keadm`, such as through a compromised, replaced, or otherwise untrusted download source. ## Patches The extraction logic now: * resolves the destination directory to an absolute path; * rejects empty archive entry names; * normalizes Windows-style path separators before validation; * rejects parent-directory traversal paths; * rejects absolute and Windows drive-prefixed paths; * uses `filepath-securejoin` to ensure extracted files remain within the destination directory. Fixes are planned for the following maintained releases: * v1.23.1 * v1.22.2 * v1.21.2 ## Workarounds Until a patched release is available: * only install or join edge nodes using trusted KubeEdge package sources; * verify the integrity and origin of downloaded archives before extraction; * do not use custom or untrusted component archives with `keadm`; * restrict write permissions and administrative privileges for the account running `keadm`; * avoid performing Windows edge-node installation or join operations when the package source cannot be trusted. ## Credits KubeEdge thanks Sang-Hoon Choi ([KoreaSecurity](https://github.com/KoreaSecurity), Sejong University) for responsibly reporting this issue and for coordinating with the KubeEdge maintainers through the security disclosure process.

CVE-2026-62369 Affected KubeEdge Versions

3 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
1.21.21.22.21.23.1
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge
Go
≥ 1.16.0
< 1.21.2
1.21.2
github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge
Go
≥ 1.22.0
< 1.22.2
1.22.2
github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge
Go
≥ 1.23.0
< 1.23.1
1.23.1

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-62369?
CVE-2026-62369 is a security vulnerability in KubeEdge involving keadm DecompressTarGz path traversal enables arbitrary file write on Windows during edge node join under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal').
Which KubeEdge versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 1.21.2, 1.22.2, 1.23.1 across affected packages: github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge.
What version fixes CVE-2026-62369?
Upgrading to 1.21.2, 1.22.2, 1.23.1 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge affected?
Yes, github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge is affected in releases prior to 1.21.2, 1.22.2, 1.23.1. Upgrade your dependency to 1.21.2, 1.22.2, 1.23.1 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-62369?
CVE-2026-62369 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-62369?
CVE-2026-62369 is classified under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') (The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.).
How can I check Go dependencies for CVE-2026-62369?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-9vm9-pqxx-x83v",
  "modified" : "2026-09-22T20:36:59Z",
  "published" : "2026-09-22T20:36:59Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-62369" ],
  "summary" : "KubeEdge: keadm DecompressTarGz path traversal enables arbitrary file write on Windows during edge node join",
  "details" : "## Description\n\nKubeEdge `keadm` contains a path traversal vulnerability in the `DecompressTarGz` archive extraction function.\n\nArchive entry names were joined directly with the extraction destination without sufficient validation. A crafted tar.gz archive containing parent-directory components, Windows-style backslashes, absolute paths, or drive-prefixed paths could cause files to be written outside the intended extraction directory.\n\nThe issue is particularly relevant to Windows edge nodes during the `keadm join` or installation process when `keadm` extracts downloaded component archives.\n\n## Impact\n\nAn attacker who can cause an affected `keadm` process to extract a malicious archive may write or overwrite files outside the intended destination directory with the privileges of the user running `keadm`.\n\nOn Windows edge nodes, this may allow modification of configuration files, executable files, service-related files, or other writable system locations. Depending on the overwritten file and the privileges of the `keadm` process, successful exploitation could lead to persistent system modification or code execution.\n\nExploitation requires the attacker to influence the contents of an archive processed by `keadm`, such as through a compromised, replaced, or otherwise untrusted download source.\n\n## Patches\n\nThe extraction logic now:\n\n* resolves the destination directory to an absolute path;\n* rejects empty archive entry names;\n* normalizes Windows-style path separators before validation;\n* rejects parent-directory traversal paths;\n* rejects absolute and Windows drive-prefixed paths;\n* uses `filepath-securejoin` to ensure extracted files remain within the destination directory.\n\nFixes are planned for the following maintained releases:\n\n* v1.23.1\n* v1.22.2\n* v1.21.2\n\n## Workarounds\n\nUntil a patched release is available:\n\n* only install or join edge nodes using trusted KubeEdge package sources;\n* verify the integrity and origin of downloaded archives before extraction;\n* do not use custom or untrusted component archives with `keadm`;\n* restrict write permissions and administrative privileges for the account running `keadm`;\n* avoid performing Windows edge-node installation or join operations when the package source cannot be trusted.\n\n## Credits\n\nKubeEdge thanks Sang-Hoon Choi ([KoreaSecurity](https://github.com/KoreaSecurity), Sejong University)\nfor responsibly reporting this issue and for coordinating with the KubeEdge\nmaintainers through the security disclosure process.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
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      "name" : "github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "1.16.0"
      }, {
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      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
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    },
    "ranges" : [ {
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    } ]
  }, {
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    },
    "ranges" : [ {
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      }, {
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      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge/security/advisories/GHSA-9vm9-pqxx-x83v"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-62369"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge/pull/7028"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge/pull/7029"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge/pull/7030"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge/commit/47767b7f2649afcfa3a856e87d556f7777e0428d"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge/commit/a524a66a1ae1691eb8ff16b6ff9a93fb370d4047"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge/commit/ee02dea9d08114afc4a8f401b1c2f30e84e1de40"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.21.md"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.22.md"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.23.md"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
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  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge/releases/tag/v1.22.2"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kubeedge/kubeedge/releases/tag/v1.23.1"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-22" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-09-22T20:36:59Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-09-21T18:17:09Z"
  }
}