CVE-2023-1314: Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in cloudflared's Installer
Summary
CVE-2023-1314: cloudflared's Installer has Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in github.com/cloudflare/cloudflared. Affects github.com/cloudflare/cloudflared versions < 0.0.0-20230313153246-f686da832f85. Fixed in 0.0.0-20230313153246-f686da832f85. How to fix ↓
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Background
cloudflared is a package in the Go ecosystem developed by Cloudflare. It is a tunneling daemon that allows secure and encrypted connections between a client and a Cloudflare server. The package provides functionalities for DNS over HTTPS, HTTP proxying, and other networking capabilities. However, an issue has been identified in the installer of cloudflared that could lead to local privilege escalation.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in cloudflared's installer allows an attacker with local access to escalate their privileges on the system. By exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker can gain elevated privileges, potentially allowing them to execute arbitrary code, access sensitive information, or perform unauthorized actions. The vulnerability originates from a flaw in the installer code, which fails to properly validate and restrict user privileges during installation.
How To Fix
Latest published version: v0.0.0-20261022222307-ee83189f8507 as of 23 Oct 2026
go get github.com/cloudflare/cloudflared@v0.0.0-20261022222307-ee83189f8507Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
0.0.0-20230313153246-f686da832f85
This is the first release that contains the fix.
go get github.com/cloudflare/cloudflared@v0.0.0-20230313153246-f686da832f85Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary workaround, users can restrict access to the cloudflared installer to trusted users only. This can be achieved by setting appropriate file permissions and access controls on the installer executable. Additionally, it is recommended to monitor system logs for any suspicious activity related to cloudflared or privilege escalation attempts.
Conclusion
The local privilege escalation vulnerability in cloudflared's installer poses a risk to systems where the package is installed. It is crucial to update to the patched version to mitigate the vulnerability. Additionally, implementing the recommended workarounds and monitoring system logs can provide further protection against potential attacks.
See every vulnerability recorded for github.com/cloudflare/cloudflared →
FAQ
cloudflared is a tunneling daemon developed by Cloudflare that provides secure and encrypted connections between a client and a Cloudflare server. It offers functionalities for DNS over HTTPS, HTTP proxying, and other networking capabilities.
The vulnerability allows an attacker with local access to escalate their privileges on the system. This can lead to unauthorized access, execution of arbitrary code, and potential exposure of sensitive information.
To fix this vulnerability, update cloudflared to version 0.0.0-20230313153246-f686da832f85 or later. Follow the standard update procedures for your operating system or manually download and install the updated version from the official GitHub repository.
As a temporary workaround, restrict access to the cloudflared installer to trusted users only. Set appropriate file permissions and access controls on the installer executable. Monitor system logs for any suspicious activity related to cloudflared or privilege escalation attempts.
For more information about this vulnerability, refer to the vulnerability details provided by the Go Vulnerability Database at https://pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2023-1652.
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for github.com/cloudflare/cloudflared.
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