{"id":"CVE-2026-122304","published":"2026-11-05T03:17:22.353","lastModified":"2026-11-05T03:17:22.353","description":"Kyverno from 1.17.0 before 1.19.2 contains an authorization bypass vulnerability that allows namespace admins to escape namespace confinement because the cleanup controller builds its context loader with a nil policy. Attackers can create a namespaced CleanupPolicy with apiCall or globalReference context entries to read cross-namespace Secrets and modify validatingwebhookconfigurations using the cleanup controller's ServiceAccount.","cvssScore":9.9,"cvssSeverity":"CRITICAL","cvssVector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H","cwes":["CWE-863"],"vendors":[],"products":[],"references":[{"url":"https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/security/advisories/GHSA-p58h-r4j3-h5vx","tags":[]},{"url":"https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/security/advisories/GHSA-rcxg-3f92-3mgr","tags":[]},{"url":"https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/kyverno-1.17.0-before-1.19.2-privilege-escalation-via-cleanuppolicy-context-loader","tags":[]}],"exploitRefs":[{"url":"https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/security/advisories/GHSA-p58h-r4j3-h5vx","tags":[]},{"url":"https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/security/advisories/GHSA-rcxg-3f92-3mgr","tags":[]}],"hasPoc":true,"ai":{"summary":"Kyverno versions before 1.19.2 contain an authorization bypass (CWE-863) where namespace admins can escape namespace confinement by exploiting the cleanup controller's improper handling of nil policies, allowing them to read cross-namespace Secrets and modify validatingwebhookconfigurations.","exploitability":"Exploitation requires low-privilege access as a namespace admin with permission to create CleanupPolicy resources, and is straightforward given public exploit references.","blast_radius":"Successful exploitation enables full compromise of cross-namespace Secrets and webhook configurations, potentially affecting cluster-wide security controls and data confidentiality.","remediation":"Upgrade to Kyverno 1.19.2 or later.","detection":"Defenders should monitor for creation of CleanupPolicy resources with apiCall or globalReference context entries in non-admin namespaces; such policies are unexpected and may indicate abuse of the cleanup controller's elevated privileges.","tags":["auth-bypass","namespace-escape","kyverno","secrets-exposure","webhook-manipulation"],"model":"garnet-coder","analyzedAt":"2026-11-05T09:44:27.926Z"}}