T04 · Embedded Malicious Code
Error
- Location
- scripts/plane_update_entity.py:226
- Finding
- Base64-Encoded Python Execution Inside Kubernetes Workloads and Remote SSH Targets<![CDATA[ ## Vulnerability Details **File Location**: `scripts/plane_update_entity.py:226-255` **Additional Locations**: `scripts/plane_create_entity.py:602-614`, `scripts/plane_create_entity.py:667-682`, `scripts/plane_create_issue.py:608-615` **Vulnerability Type**: Encoded code execution through Kubernetes and SSH **Risk Level**: Critical ### Vulnerable Code ```python b64_script = base64.b64encode(py_script.encode("utf-8")).decode("utf-8") k3s_ssh_host = profile.get("k3s_ssh_host") if k3s_ssh_host: cmd = [ "ssh", k3s_ssh_host, f"kubectl exec -n {k3s_namespace} {k3s_workload} -- python3 manage.py shell -c \"import base64; exec(base64.b64decode('{b64_script}').decode('utf-8'))\"", ] else: cmd = [kubectl] if k3s_kubeconfig: cmd.extend(["--kubeconfig", k3s_kubeconfig]) cmd.extend( [ "exec", "-n", k3s_namespace, k3s_workload, "--", "python3", "manage.py", "shell", "-c", f"import base64; exec(base64.b64decode('{b64_script}').decode('utf-8'))", ] ) try: proc = subprocess.run( cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, text=True, check=True ) ``` ### Technical Analysis The script constructs Python source code locally, Base64-encodes it, transfers it through a command-line argument, decodes it inside the Plane application workload, and executes it using `exec()`. The decoded payload observed during the audit is generated by the package itself and performs Plane Django ORM operations. It is not downloaded from an external server. Nevertheless, this design creates a general-purpose code-execution channel inside a privileged application container. It exceeds the minimum privileges needed for ordinary backlog synchronization, which can normally be performed through Plane's authenticated API. The same execution pattern is used by entity creation and ...[truncated 1899 chars]
- Remediation
- <![CDATA[ ## Remediation Suggestions 1. Remove the Base64-plus-`exec()` execution path from normal Skill operation. 2. Implement creation, update, page, and intake operations through documented Plane APIs. 3. Fail closed when an API operation fails rather than automatically escalating to cluster-level access. 4. If administrative database repair remains necessary, move it into a separately installed operator utility that is not invoked automatically by the backlog Skill. 5. Require explicit operator confirmation before any Kubernetes or SSH operation. 6. Use a fixed, versioned, reviewed management command instead of dynamically generated Python. 7. Pass data through structured JSON or standard input and validate it against a strict schema. 8. Use a dedicated Kubernetes service account with narrowly scoped RBAC instead of relying on the caller's general `kubectl` context. 9. Restrict the allowed namespace, workload, SSH destination, and kubeconfig through an administrator-controlled allowlist. 10. Record the authenticated actor, requested operation, destination cluster, entity identifier, and result in an immutable audit log. 11. Add tests asserting that ordinary API failure never triggers remote code execution without a separate explicit administrative flag. ]]>