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github.com/ing-bank/kal

Source
Go
Version
v0.0.0-20250602080910-1eff84c2d177
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Created
Source

Kubernetes Authorization Listing - KAL

KAL can be used to list every permission of a Kubernetes user, service account token, kubeconfig authentication, or a JWT token.

This CLI connects to the provided Kubernetes Cluster, list all resources, and for each resource tests if the provided authentication has access in the resource. The test is performed using the SelfSubjectAccessReview request.

Installation

Go Install

go install -v github.com/ing-bank/kal@latest

Compile from source

git clone https://github.com/ing-bank/kal.git
cd kal; go install

Quick Start

User authentication options

1. Automatic

KAL searches for authentication credentials in the following order:

  • Provided in -token argument
  • Search for a kubeconfig file (default location ~/.kube/config)
  • Assume it is running inside a POD and using the credentials in the /var/run/secrets/kubernetes.io/serviceaccount/ folder

2. Manual authentication

Provide the authentication token as a CLI argument.

kal -token '<your_jwt_token>'

3. Custom kubeconfig location

Provide the custom kubeconfig file location.

kal -c /path/to/kubeconfig.yaml

Execution

1. Listing permissions of default namespace

Command:

kal

Expected output:

############################
#                          #
# ██╗  ██╗ █████╗ ██╗      #
# ██║ ██╔╝██╔══██╗██║      #
# █████╔╝ ███████║██║      #
# ██╔═██╗ ██╔══██║██║      #
# ██║  ██╗██║  ██║███████╗ #
# ╚═╝  ╚═╝╚═╝  ╚═╝╚══════╝ #
# Kubernetes Authz Listing #
############################

[!] legal disclaimer: Usage of kal for attacking targets without prior mutual consent is illegal. It is the end user\'s responsibility to obey all applicable local, state and federal laws. Developers assume no liability and are not responsible for any misuse or damage caused by this program


[INF] running from namespace = default
[INF] found 105 resources and sub-resources
bindings/v1 [create,get,bind,patch,escalate,deletecollection,list,impersonate,watch,update,delete,approve] [default]
componentstatuses/v1 [create,get,delete,deletecollection,escalate,impersonate,update,patch,approve,watch,bind,list] [CLUSTER_WIDE]
...[snip]...
prioritylevelconfigurations.flowcontrol.apiserver.k8s.io/v1 [escalate,impersonate,list,approve,watch,deletecollection,get,patch,update,delete,bind,create] [CLUSTER_WIDE]
prioritylevelconfigurations.flowcontrol.apiserver.k8s.io/v1/status [escalate,impersonate,patch,watch,list,create,get,delete,update,approve,deletecollection,bind] [CLUSTER_WIDE]
flowschemas.flowcontrol.apiserver.k8s.io/v1beta3 [patch,approve,create,escalate,list,deletecollection,impersonate,delete,watch,update,bind,get] [CLUSTER_WIDE]
flowschemas.flowcontrol.apiserver.k8s.io/v1beta3/status [escalate,patch,deletecollection,update,get,bind,impersonate,delete,approve,watch,list,create] [CLUSTER_WIDE]
prioritylevelconfigurations.flowcontrol.apiserver.k8s.io/v1beta3 [escalate,impersonate,approve,update,get,create,list,deletecollection,patch,watch,delete,bind] [CLUSTER_WIDE]
prioritylevelconfigurations.flowcontrol.apiserver.k8s.io/v1beta3/status [get,create,list,escalate,impersonate,patch,bind,update,delete,approve,watch,deletecollection] [CLUSTER_WIDE]

2. Custom namespace

kal -namespace <namespace>

3. No Rate Limit

Removes the rate limit restraints enforced by k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes package.

kal -no-rate-limit

4. List permissions with User Impersonation

Impersonate a user and list its permissions.

kal -as '<user>'

Output Options

Verbose & Silent

Select the verbosity of the output.

kal -verbose/-silent

Show all results

This option show all results, even not allowed commands.

kal -all

JSON output

kal -json

Show permission reason

Command:

kal -show-reason

Expected output:

[ERR] could not create a kubernetes custom client error=invalid configuration for kubernetes custom client
[INF] running from namespace = default
[INF] found 105 resources and sub-resources
bindings/v1 [delete,patch,bind,create,update,watch,get,list,deletecollection,impersonate,approve,escalate] [default] [RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins"]
componentstatuses/v1 [get,escalate,list,delete,approve,patch,update,bind,watch,impersonate,deletecollection,create] [CLUSTER_WIDE] [RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins"]
...[snip]...
prioritylevelconfigurations.flowcontrol.apiserver.k8s.io/v1beta3 [create,patch,update,deletecollection,escalate,get,delete,bind,watch,impersonate,list,approve] [CLUSTER_WIDE] [RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins"]
prioritylevelconfigurations.flowcontrol.apiserver.k8s.io/v1beta3/status [create,escalate,list,update,delete,deletecollection,bind,patch,get,approve,watch,impersonate] [CLUSTER_WIDE] [RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins";RBAC: allowed by ClusterRoleBinding "kubeadm:cluster-admins" of ClusterRole "cluster-admin" to Group "kubeadm:cluster-admins"]

Internals

This section explains how KAL works under the hood.

Inspiration

Based on the article of Raesene - Fun with Kubernetes Authorization Auditing, sometimes the command kubectl auth can-i --list can omit some permissions specially if they are from a custom resource. In this case, KAL overcomes this "issue" by listing all available resources and testing if the current authorization has permission to execute certain API verb in the resource.

API Verbs

Kuberntes Authorization Request Verbs

  • create
  • get
  • list
  • watch
  • update
  • patch
  • delete
  • deletecollection
  • impersonate
  • bind
  • approve
  • escalate

Api Resources

Listing all API resources.

kubectl auth can-i --list -o wide

Contributing

Contributions are more than welcome! Please see our contribution guidelines first.

Use as a library

KAL can be used a a library by instantiating the pkg/runner package, it contains the required setup.

import "github.com/ing-bank/kal/pkg/runner"

func main() {
    kalRunner := runner.FromOptions()
}

License

You can check our licensing scheme here.

FAQs

Package last updated on 02 Jun 2025

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