CVE-2022-24878 is a path traversal vulnerability classified under CWE-22 that affects the kustomize-controller component of fluxcd's flux2, an open and extensible continuous delivery (CD) solution for Kubernetes environments. The vulnerability arises from improper limitation of pathname access within the kustomize-controller when processing maliciously crafted `kustomization.yaml` files. Specifically, an attacker who can supply or influence the contents of a `kustomization.yaml` file can exploit this flaw to traverse directories outside the intended restricted directory scope. This traversal can lead to denial of service (DoS) conditions at the controller level, potentially disrupting the continuous delivery pipeline and impacting the availability of Kubernetes deployments managed by flux2. The affected versions include flux2 releases from v0.19.0 up to but not including v0.28.5, and kustomize-controller versions from v0.16.0 up to but not including v0.29.0. The vulnerability does not require authentication or elevated privileges beyond the ability to submit or influence kustomization manifests, and no user interaction is necessary beyond this. Although no known exploits have been observed in the wild, the risk remains significant due to the critical role flux2 plays in automated deployment workflows. The issue is remediated in kustomize-controller v0.29.0 and flux2 v0.29.0. Workarounds include implementing automated validation tooling within CI/CD pipelines to enforce strict policy compliance on `kustomization.yaml` files, preventing malicious path traversal attempts before they reach the controller.

For European organizations, particularly those leveraging Kubernetes and GitOps workflows with flux2, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to the availability of their continuous delivery infrastructure. A successful exploitation could cause denial of service in the kustomize-controller, halting automated deployments and potentially delaying critical application updates or security patches. This disruption can affect business continuity, especially in sectors relying heavily on rapid and reliable software delivery such as finance, healthcare, telecommunications, and manufacturing. Additionally, indirect impacts may arise if the DoS leads to configuration drift or deployment inconsistencies, increasing operational risk. Since flux2 is widely adopted in cloud-native environments, organizations with mature DevOps practices are more likely to be affected. The vulnerability does not directly compromise confidentiality or integrity but can degrade operational stability. Given the increasing reliance on Kubernetes in European enterprises and public sector entities, the potential for operational disruption is a significant concern.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should prioritize upgrading flux2 to version 0.29.0 or later, which includes the patched kustomize-controller v0.29.0. Until upgrades can be applied, organizations should implement strict validation of all `kustomization.yaml` files within their CI/CD pipelines using automated policy enforcement tools that check for path traversal patterns or unauthorized directory references. Employing static analysis or schema validation tools tailored to kustomize manifests can prevent malicious inputs from reaching the controller. Additionally, restricting write and update permissions on Git repositories or artifact stores that host these manifests to trusted users reduces the attack surface. Monitoring and alerting on unusual controller crashes or deployment failures can provide early detection of exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and limiting controller access to trusted networks further reduce risk. Finally, organizations should review and harden Kubernetes RBAC policies to minimize the impact scope if the controller is compromised or disrupted.