CVE-2025-62714 identifies a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in the Karmada Dashboard, a web-based control panel for managing multiple Kubernetes clusters. Versions prior to 0.2.0 fail to enforce authentication on backend API endpoints such as /api/v1/secret and /api/v1/service. While the dashboard’s frontend UI requires a valid JWT token for access, the backend APIs do not validate authentication tokens, allowing any user or attacker with network access to the dashboard service to directly query sensitive cluster data. This includes Kubernetes Secrets, which often contain credentials, tokens, or keys, and Services, which provide insight into cluster configuration and network topology. The vulnerability stems from missing authorization checks (CWE-862) on the API layer, creating a critical security gap. Exploitation requires no privileges, user interaction, or authentication, and can be performed remotely over the network. The CVSS 4.0 vector (AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N) indicates network attack vector, low complexity, no authentication or user interaction, and high confidentiality impact. Although no exploits have been reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk to confidentiality and cluster security. Organizations using Karmada Dashboard in production environments should prioritize upgrading to version 0.2.0 or later where this issue is fixed, or implement strict network segmentation and access controls to prevent unauthorized API access.

The primary impact of CVE-2025-62714 is the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive Kubernetes cluster information, including Secrets and Services, which can lead to further compromise of cluster integrity and confidentiality. For European organizations, this could result in exposure of credentials, tokens, or other sensitive configuration data, potentially enabling attackers to escalate privileges, move laterally within cloud or on-premises infrastructure, or disrupt critical services. The breach of Secrets is particularly severe as it may allow attackers to access databases, cloud resources, or other sensitive systems integrated with Kubernetes clusters. Given the increasing adoption of Kubernetes and multi-cluster management solutions like Karmada in Europe, especially in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, the risk is substantial. Additionally, regulatory frameworks such as GDPR impose strict requirements on protecting sensitive data, and such a vulnerability could lead to compliance violations and reputational damage. The ease of exploitation and lack of authentication requirements amplify the threat, making it accessible to a wide range of attackers if network access is not properly restricted.

1. Upgrade Karmada Dashboard to version 0.2.0 or later where the authentication bypass vulnerability is patched. 2. If immediate upgrade is not feasible, restrict network access to the Karmada Dashboard service using firewall rules, VPNs, or zero-trust network segmentation to limit API exposure only to trusted administrators. 3. Implement API gateway or reverse proxy with enforced authentication and authorization policies in front of the Karmada Dashboard API endpoints to ensure all requests are properly validated. 4. Regularly audit and monitor access logs for unusual or unauthorized API requests targeting the dashboard. 5. Rotate Kubernetes Secrets and credentials that may have been exposed if the vulnerable dashboard was accessible. 6. Employ Kubernetes Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and least privilege principles to minimize the impact of any potential compromise. 7. Conduct penetration testing and vulnerability scanning focused on multi-cluster management tools to detect similar issues proactively.