Privilege Escalation: Get Kubernetes CSR with compromised bootstrap credentials
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This document describes a threat finding type in Security Command Center. Threat findings are generated by
threat detectors when they detect
a potential threat in your cloud resources. For a full list of available threat findings, see Threat findings index.
Overview
To escalate privilege, a potentially malicious actor queried for a certificate
signing request (CSR), with the kubectl command, using
compromised bootstrap credentials.
The following is an example of a command that this rule detects:
Open the Privilege Escalation: Get Kubernetes CSR with compromised bootstrap credentials
finding as directed in Reviewing findings.
The details panel for the finding opens to the Summary tab.
On the Summary tab, review the information in the following sections:
What was detected, especially the following fields:
Principal email: the account that made the call.
Method name: the method that was called.
Under Affected resource:
Resource display name: the Kubernetes cluster where the action
occurred.
Related links, especially the following fields:
Cloud Logging URI: link to Logging entries.
MITRE ATT&CK method: link to the MITRE ATT&CK documentation.
Related findings: links to any related findings.
Step 2: Check logs
If the method name, which you noted in the Method name field in the finding
details, is a GET method, do the following:
On the Summary tab of the finding details in the
Google Cloud console, go to Logs Explorer by clicking the link in the
Cloud Logging URI field.
Check the value in the protoPayload.resourceName field to identify the
specific certificate signing request.
Step 3: Research attack and response methods
Review MITRE ATT&CK framework entries for this finding type:
Privilege Escalation.
If the specific CSR is available in the
log entry, investigate the sensitivity of the
certificate and whether the action was warranted.
To develop a response plan, combine your investigation results with
MITRE research.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Hard to understand","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["Incorrect information or sample code","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["Missing the information/samples I need","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-09-04 UTC."],[],[],null,["| Premium and Enterprise [service tiers](/security-command-center/docs/service-tiers)\n\nThis document describes a threat finding type in Security Command Center. Threat findings are generated by\n[threat detectors](/security-command-center/docs/concepts-security-sources#threats) when they detect\na potential threat in your cloud resources. For a full list of available threat findings, see [Threat findings index](/security-command-center/docs/threat-findings-index).\n\nOverview\n\nTo escalate privilege, a potentially malicious actor queried for a [certificate\nsigning request](https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/access-authn-authz/certificate-signing-requests/) (CSR), with the `kubectl` command, using\ncompromised bootstrap credentials.\n\nThe following is an example of a command that this rule detects: \n\n kubectl --client-certificate kubelet.crt --client-key kubelet.key --server \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003eYOUR_SERVER\u003c/var\u003e get csr \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003eCSR_NAME\u003c/var\u003e\n\nHow to respond\n\nTo respond to this finding, do the following:\n\nStep 1: Review finding details\n\n1. Open the `Privilege Escalation: Get Kubernetes CSR with compromised bootstrap credentials`\n finding as directed in [Reviewing findings](/security-command-center/docs/how-to-investigate-threats#reviewing_findings).\n The details panel for the finding opens to the **Summary** tab.\n\n2. On the **Summary** tab, review the information in the following sections:\n\n - **What was detected** , especially the following fields:\n - **Principal email**: the account that made the call.\n - **Method name**: the method that was called.\n - Under **Affected resource** :\n - **Resource display name**: the Kubernetes cluster where the action occurred.\n - **Related links** , especially the following fields:\n - **Cloud Logging URI**: link to Logging entries.\n - **MITRE ATT\\&CK method**: link to the MITRE ATT\\&CK documentation.\n - **Related findings**: links to any related findings.\n\nStep 2: Check logs\n\nIf the method name, which you noted in the **Method name** field in the finding\ndetails, is a `GET` method, do the following:\n\n1. On the **Summary** tab of the finding details in the Google Cloud console, go to **Logs Explorer** by clicking the link in the **Cloud Logging URI** field.\n2. Check the value in the `protoPayload.resourceName` field to identify the specific certificate signing request.\n\nStep 3: Research attack and response methods\n\n1. Review MITRE ATT\\&CK framework entries for this finding type: [Privilege Escalation](https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0004/).\n2. If the specific CSR is [available in the\n log entry](#privilege_escalation_get_csr_logs), investigate the sensitivity of the certificate and whether the action was warranted.\n3. To develop a response plan, combine your investigation results with MITRE research.\n\nWhat's next\n\n- Learn [how to work with threat\n findings in Security Command Center](/security-command-center/docs/how-to-investigate-threats).\n- Refer to the [Threat findings index](/security-command-center/docs/threat-findings-index).\n- Learn how to [review a\n finding](/security-command-center/docs/how-to-investigate-threats#reviewing_findings) through the Google Cloud console.\n- Learn about the [services that\n generate threat findings](/security-command-center/docs/concepts-security-sources#threats)."]]