CVE-2026-22822: External Secrets Operator insecurely retrieves secrets through the getSecretKey templating function

Should you act?

Critical, preconditions apply

Severe if exploited, but exploitation needs conditions that may not apply to you. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.

• No confirmed exploitation. It is not in CISA’s KEV catalog and CISA’s SSVC assessment records no known exploitation. That can change quickly after a public write-up; re-check if you are affected.
• EPSS 0.2%, percentile 8: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.2% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 8% of all scored CVEs (low). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
• Needs local access needed. Lower urgency for most teams unless an attacker could already run code on the machine.
• Only applies if your dependency tree includes github.com/external-secrets/external-secrets (Go) >= 0.20.2, < 1.2.0, fixed in 1.2.0. Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

What it is

External Secrets Operator reads information from a third-party service and automatically injects the values as Kubernetes Secrets. Starting in version 0.20.2 and prior to version 1.2.0, the getSecretKey template function, while introduced for senhasegura Devops Secrets Management (DSM) provider, has the ability to fetch secrets cross-namespaces with the roleBinding of the external-secrets controller, bypassing our security mechanisms. This function was completely removed in version 1.2.0, as everything done with that templating function can be done in a different way while respecting External Secrets Operator's safeguards As a workaround, use a policy engine such as Kubernetes, Kyverno, Kubewarden, or OPA to prevent the usage of getSecretKey in any ExternalSecret resource.

From the GitHub advisory

Summary

The getSecretKey template function, while introduced for senhasegura Devops Secrets Management (DSM) provider, has the ability to fetch secrets cross-namespaces with the roleBinding of the external-secrets controller, bypassing our security mechanisms.

This function was completely removed, as everything done with that templating function can be done in a different way while respecting our safeguards (for example, using sourceRef like explained here: https://github.com/external-secrets/external-secrets/issues/5690#issuecomment-3630977865)

Impact - Cross-namespace secret access: Attackers or misconfigured resources could retrieve secrets from namespaces other than the one intended. - privilege escalation: Unauthorized access to secrets could lead to privilege escalation, data exfiltration, or compromise of service accounts and credentials.

Resolution

Weakness type: CWE-863.

Product: github.com/external-secrets/external-secrets (Go) · Assigned by: GitHub_M · Published: 2026-01-21

Affected and fixed versions

Severity scores

• Attack vector: local access needed
• Attack complexity: low
• Attack requirements: none
• Privileges required: low (any account)
• User interaction: none

CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.

Exploitation and urgency

• CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
• CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation none, automatable no, technical impact total.
• FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 0.19% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 8.

Timeline

• 2026-01-20 — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-77v3-r3jw-j2v2 published (critical)
• 2026-01-21 — CVE record published by GitHub_M
• 2026-07-15 — CVE record last updated

Sources and references

Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.

Vulnerability records

1. GitHub Advisory GHSA-77v3-r3jw-j2v2 github.com
2. CVE.org record CVE-2026-22822 cve.org
3. NVD entry CVE-2026-22822 nvd.nist.gov

Other references from the CVE record and advisory

1. github.com github.com
2. github.com github.com
3. github.com github.com
4. github.com github.com
5. github.com github.com
6. access.redhat.com access.redhat.com
7. RHBZ#2431873 bugzilla.redhat.com
8. security.access.redhat.com security.access.redhat.com

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