CVE-2024-42488: Policy bypass for Host Firewall policy in github.com/cilium/cilium
Summary
CVE-2024-42488: Policy bypass for Host Firewall policy due to race condition in Cilium agent in github.com/cilium/cilium. Affects github.com/cilium/cilium across 2 version ranges.
< 1.14.14
>= 1.15.0, < 1.15.8
Fixed in 1.14.14 or 1.15.8, depending on the release line you run. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
- hubble-relay · Bitnami
- cilium · Bitnami
- cilium-operator · Bitnami
The same CVE-2024-42488 is tracked separately for each ecosystem and vendor. Its fix information is the same; the package and affected versions differ.
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Background
The package under scrutiny is github.com/cilium/cilium, which is written in Go. Cilium is an open-source software-defined networking (SDN) and network security project. It provides networking and security services with a focus on Kubernetes. Cilium leverages eBPF (extended Berkeley Packet Filter) to provide kernel-level networking and security capabilities. It is widely used in cloud-native environments to enforce network policies and secure communication between containers.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-42488 is a policy bypass for the Host Firewall policy in the Cilium agent. It is caused by a race condition in the Cilium agent code. This vulnerability allows an attacker to bypass the intended Host Firewall policy, potentially leading to unauthorized access or malicious network activity. The race condition can occur when multiple threads or processes attempt to modify the Host Firewall policy simultaneously, resulting in an inconsistent or incorrect policy state. This vulnerability affects versions 0.x and 1.15.0 to 1.15.7 of the github.com/cilium/cilium package.
How To Fix
Latest published version: v1.20.3 as of 22 Oct 2026
go get github.com/cilium/cilium@v1.20.3Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the versions below are the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you can't move to the latest
The minimum fixed version depends on the release line you run.
-
< 1.14.141.14.14go get github.com/cilium/cilium@v1.14.14 -
>= 1.15.0, < 1.15.81.15.8go get github.com/cilium/cilium@v1.15.8
Tip — Not sure which release line you're on? Vulert can find the fix for the version you are using. Scan free →
Workaround
There is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is necessary to apply the fix by upgrading to the recommended package version.
Conclusion
The vulnerability CVE-2024-42488 in the github.com/cilium/cilium package allows for a policy bypass in the Host Firewall policy due to a race condition in the Cilium agent. Upgrading to version 1.15.8 or later of the package is recommended to fix this vulnerability. There are no known workarounds, and it is crucial to apply the fix to ensure the correct enforcement of the Host Firewall policy.
See every vulnerability recorded for github.com/cilium/cilium →
FAQ
This vulnerability allows an attacker to bypass the Host Firewall policy in the Cilium agent, potentially leading to unauthorized access or malicious network activity. It can compromise the security of the affected system and the applications running on it.
Versions 0.x and 1.15.0 to 1.15.7 of the github.com/cilium/cilium package are affected by this vulnerability.
You can use Vulert's playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability. Vulert monitors and alerts in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities without requiring access to the code or installation.
No, there is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is necessary to apply the fix by upgrading to the recommended package version.
There are no known exploits for this vulnerability at the time of this report. However, it is important to apply the fix as soon as possible to mitigate the risk.
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for github.com/cilium/cilium.
