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.
https://github.com/external-secrets/external-secrets/security/advisories/GHSA-77v3-r3jw-j2v2
https://github.com/external-secrets/external-secrets/releases/tag/v1.2.0
https://github.com/external-secrets/external-secrets/pull/3895
https://github.com/external-secrets/external-secrets/issues/5690
https://github.com/external-secrets/external-secrets/commit/17d3e22b8d3fbe339faf8515a95ec06ec92b1feb
Published: 2026-01-21
Updated: 2026-01-21
Base Score: 5
Vector: CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
Severity: Medium
Base Score: 7.5
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Severity: High
Base Score: 9.3
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H
Severity: Critical
EPSS: 0.00013