Kubetier
T1Node cloud identity reached past workload identity concealment

  1. Workload identity conceals the node identity by redirecting the metadata address inside the pod network namespace

  2. A pod with hostNetwork true runs in the host namespace instead, so it reaches the underlying metadata service directly

  3. The request is served rather than refused, returning the node identity in place of the pod workload identity

  4. No privileged flag and no added capability are required, and an unlabelled namespace admits the pod without objection

  5. Mounting the host root with a container running as root is an independent second route, reading the kubelet credentials on disk

  6. The node identity own project roles set the ceiling, and they are routinely broader than any single workload identity

Rights needed:

  • T1create pods(Privileged)

    · scoped to hostNetwork or a host root hostPath mount

    · hostNetwork alone is enough; the privileged flag is not needed

Note:

Working as designed, not a fixable defect: the redirection is per pod network namespace.

Managed autopilot modes reject both pod shapes, so this applies where the platform admits hostNetwork or hostPath.

K8s docs ↗