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Unlock with Pro - from £29/user/moDetect Kube-logging Logging Operator Fluentd Configuration Injection RCE (CVE-2026-54680) in IBM QRadar
Detects exploitation of CVE-2026-54680, a critical (CVSS 9.9) configuration injection vulnerability in kube-logging logging-operator (versions prior to the 0.0.0-20260608145523-cf437d7f1e05 pseudo-version / 6.6.0 release) that allows an attacker with the ability to influence Fluentd/Fluent Bit configuration inputs (e.g. via Flow/ClusterFlow/Output CRDs, log forwarding pipelines, or unsanitized log fields reflected into config templates) to inject arbitrary Fluentd configuration directives. This injection can lead to remote code execution via Fluentd's exec plugin, ruby code blocks, or file-based output writes, potentially compromising the logging-operator pod and any Kubernetes service account/token it holds, enabling lateral movement and cluster compromise.
MITRE ATT&CK
QRadar Detection Query
SELECT DATEFORMAT(devicetime, 'YYYY-MM-dd HH:mm:ss') AS EventTime, sourceip, "Namespace", "Resource Kind", "Verb", "Request Object"
FROM events
WHERE LOGSOURCETYPENAME(devicetype) ILIKE '%Kubernetes%'
AND ("Resource Kind" IN ('Flow','ClusterFlow','Output','ClusterOutput','Logging'))
AND ("Verb" IN ('create','update','patch'))
AND ("Request Object" ILIKE '%exec%' OR "Request Object" ILIKE '%ruby%' OR "Request Object" ILIKE '%system(%' OR "Request Object" ILIKE '%/bin/sh%' OR "Request Object" ILIKE '%/bin/bash%')
LAST 24 HOURSIdentifies QRadar-normalized Kubernetes audit events showing creation or modification of logging-operator managed custom resources containing injected Fluentd exec/ruby/shell directives, consistent with CVE-2026-54680 exploitation attempts.
Data Sources
Required Tables
False Positives & Tuning
- Legitimate cluster operators deploying valid exec-based Fluentd output plugins
- Automated GitOps reconciliation loops that frequently patch Flow objects
- Security scanning tools that intentionally submit test payloads to staging clusters
Other platforms for CVE-2026-54680
Testing Methodology
Validate this detection against 3 adversary techniques from Atomic Red Team. Each test below lists the behaviour to exercise and the telemetry you should expect to see. Executable commands and cleanup steps are available with Pro.
- Test 1Inject exec directive via ClusterFlow CRD
Expected signal: Kubernetes audit log entries for create operations on ClusterFlow and ClusterOutput resources containing an 'exec' block, followed by fluentd operator reconciliation logs regenerating the rendered configuration.
- Test 2Inject ruby eval block into Output configuration
Expected signal: Audit log capturing the Output resource creation with enableRuby=true and a system() call embedded in the record template; fluentd pod logs showing plugin reconfiguration.
- Test 3Simulate command execution artifact from compromised fluentd pod
Expected signal: Container runtime/EDR process execution events for /bin/sh, id, whoami, and cat commands executed inside the fluentd pod, plus Kubernetes audit log entry for the 'pods/exec' subresource.
References (4)
- https://github.com/kube-logging/logging-operator/security/advisories/GHSA-mjqf-28ph-426h
- https://github.com/kube-logging/logging-operator/commit/cf437d7f1e056c78740bf5716ac8bdebcf002425
- https://github.com/kube-logging/logging-operator/releases/tag/6.6.0
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-mjqf-28ph-426h
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