CmdID / Programs / Linux and Unix

kubectl

Run commands against Kubernetes clusters. Some subcommands such as run have their own usage documentation. tldr-pages

GTFOBins shell, upload 1 ATT&CK technique 2 documented commands

How kubectl is abused

documented by GTFOBins

shell T1059.004 Command and Scripting Interpreter: Unix Shell

get

--kubeconfig

upload

proxy

--address

--port

--www

--www-prefix

Each abuse is GTFOBins's category and the options and words it uses; the full write-up is on GTFOBins's page for kubectl.

2 documented commands

from GTFOBins, each read by CmdID

shell unprivileged, with sudo

The shell is spawn multiple times.

cat >/path/to/temp-file <<EOF
clusters:
- cluster:
    server: https://x
  name: x
contexts:
- context:
    cluster: x
    user: x
  name: x
current-context: x
users:
- name: x
  user:
    exec:
      apiVersion: client.authentication.k8s.io/v1
      interactiveMode: Always
      command: /bin/sh
      args:
        - '-c'
        - '/bin/sh 0<&2 1>&2'
EOF

kubectl get pods --kubeconfig=/path/to/temp-file

Identify

upload unprivileged, with sudo, as SUID

kubectl proxy --address=0.0.0.0 --port=12345 --www=/path/to/dir/ --www-prefix=/x/

Identify

None of the 2 commands CmdID reads trips a Sigma process-creation rule. These commands are, with GTFOBins’ notes, from GTFOBins, at commit acd524623f9c of 2026-05-27, under the GPL-3.0, with no warranty. Changed: Markdown is shown formatted. The source is in lolbas-gtfobins-commands.json.gz, and the full entry is on GTFOBins’s page for kubectl. CmdID reads the line of each that runs kubectl.

What detects it

Sigma process creation rules

T1059.004Command and Scripting Interpreter: Unix Shell

Everyday use

from tldr-pages, CC BY 4.0

List information about a resource with more details

kubectl get pods --output wideIdentify

--outputOutput format. kubectl reference

Update specified pod with the label unhealthy and the value true

kubectl label pods name unhealthy=trueIdentify

List all resources with different types

kubectl get allIdentify

None of the 3 examples CmdID reads matches GTFOBins abuse or trips a Sigma process-creation rule.

kubectl

How kubectl is abused

2 documented commands

What detects it

Everyday use

Other programs abused for shell