How severe is CVE-2019-11253?

CVE-2019-11253 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2019-11253 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 26% (98th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2019-11253?

CVE-2019-11253 primarily affects Kubernetes. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2019-11253?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2019-11253 published?

CVE-2019-11253 was published on 2019-10-17 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2019-11253

CVE-2019-11253 is a high-severity vulnerability in Kubernetes with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 26% places it in the 98th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-776.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
CVSS v2: 5.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 26% (98th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-776
Affected product: Kubernetes
Published: 2019-10-17
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Improper input validation in the Kubernetes API server in versions v1.0-1.12 and versions prior to v1.13.12, v1.14.8, v1.15.5, and v1.16.2 allows authorized users to send malicious YAML or JSON payloads, causing the API server to consume excessive CPU or memory, potentially crashing and becoming unavailable. Prior to v1.14.0, default RBAC policy authorized anonymous users to submit requests that could trigger this vulnerability. Clusters upgraded from a version prior to v1.14.0 keep the more permissive policy by default for backwards compatibility.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2019-11253?: Improper input validation in the Kubernetes API server in versions v1.0-1.12 and versions prior to v1.13.12, v1.14.8, v1.15.5, and v1.16.2 allows authorized users to send malicious YAML or JSON payloads, causing the API server to consume excessive CPU or memory, potentially crashing and becoming unavailable. Prior to v1.14.0, default RBAC policy authorized anonymous users to submit requests that could trigger this vulnerability. Clusters upgraded from a version prior to v1.14.0 keep the more permissive policy by default for backwards compatibility.
How severe is CVE-2019-11253?: CVE-2019-11253 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2019-11253 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 26% (98th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2019-11253?: CVE-2019-11253 primarily affects Kubernetes. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2019-11253?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2019-11253 published?: CVE-2019-11253 was published on 2019-10-17 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (4)

cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:redhat:openshift_container_platform:3.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:redhat:openshift_container_platform:3.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:redhat:openshift_container_platform:3.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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