---
title: PSP allows privilege escalation
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > Code Security > Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
  Security > IaC Security Rules > PSP allows privilege escalation
---

# PSP allows privilege escalation

{% callout %}
# Important note for users on the following Datadog sites: app.ddog-gov.com

{% alert level="danger" %}
This product is not supported for your selected [Datadog site](https://docs.datadoghq.com/getting_started/site). ().
{% /alert %}

{% /callout %}

## Metadata{% #metadata %}

**Id:** `2bff9906-4e9b-4f71-9346-8ebedfdf43ef`

**Cloud Provider:** Kubernetes

**Platform:** Terraform

**Severity:** High

**Category:** Insecure Configurations

#### Learn More{% #learn-more %}

- [Provider Reference](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/hashicorp/kubernetes/latest/docs/resources/pod_security_policy#allow_privilege_escalation)

### Description{% #description %}

`PodSecurityPolicy` should not allow privilege escalation. The `kubernetes_pod_security_policy` resource must include the `spec.allow_privilege_escalation` attribute and set it to `false`. If `spec.allow_privilege_escalation` is missing or set to `true`, this rule reports a `MissingAttribute` or `IncorrectValue` issue and recommends setting `spec.allow_privilege_escalation = false` as the remediation. The rule inspects `resource.kubernetes_pod_security_policy[name].spec` to determine the presence and value of `allow_privilege_escalation`.

## Compliant Code Examples{% #compliant-code-examples %}

```terraform
resource "kubernetes_pod_security_policy" "example2" {
  metadata {
    name = "terraform-example"
  }
  spec {
    privileged                 = false
    allow_privilege_escalation = false

    volumes = [
      "configMap",
      "emptyDir",
      "projected",
      "secret",
      "downwardAPI",
      "persistentVolumeClaim",
    ]

    run_as_user {
      rule = "MustRunAsNonRoot"
    }

    se_linux {
      rule = "RunAsAny"
    }

    supplemental_groups {
      rule = "MustRunAs"
      range {
        min = 1
        max = 65535
      }
    }

    fs_group {
      rule = "MustRunAs"
      range {
        min = 1
        max = 65535
      }
    }

    read_only_root_filesystem = true
  }
}
```

## Non-Compliant Code Examples{% #non-compliant-code-examples %}

```terraform
resource "kubernetes_pod_security_policy" "example" {
  metadata {
    name = "terraform-example"
  }
  spec {
    privileged                 = false
    allow_privilege_escalation = true

    volumes = [
      "configMap",
      "emptyDir",
      "projected",
      "secret",
      "downwardAPI",
      "persistentVolumeClaim",
    ]

    run_as_user {
      rule = "MustRunAsNonRoot"
    }

    se_linux {
      rule = "RunAsAny"
    }

    supplemental_groups {
      rule = "MustRunAs"
      range {
        min = 1
        max = 65535
      }
    }

    fs_group {
      rule = "MustRunAs"
      range {
        min = 1
        max = 65535
      }
    }

    read_only_root_filesystem = true
  }
}

resource "kubernetes_pod_security_policy" "example2" {
  metadata {
    name = "terraform-example"
  }
  spec {
    privileged                 = false

    volumes = [
      "configMap",
      "emptyDir",
      "projected",
      "secret",
      "downwardAPI",
      "persistentVolumeClaim",
    ]

    run_as_user {
      rule = "MustRunAsNonRoot"
    }

    se_linux {
      rule = "RunAsAny"
    }

    supplemental_groups {
      rule = "MustRunAs"
      range {
        min = 1
        max = 65535
      }
    }

    fs_group {
      rule = "MustRunAs"
      range {
        min = 1
        max = 65535
      }
    }

    read_only_root_filesystem = true
  }
}
```