Vulnerability-Lookup

Vulnerability from bitnami_vulndb

Published

2026-09-02 14:44

Modified

2026-09-02 15:04

Summary

Kyverno: NamespacedGeneratingPolicy generator.apply() namespace argument unvalidated -- background controller creates RoleBindings in any namespace including kube-system

Details

Kyverno is a policy engine designed for cloud native platform engineering teams. From 1.18.0 until 1.18.2, the NamespacedMutatingPolicy CEL compiler exposes the generator library to matchConditions, allowing a namespace-scoped policy to invoke generator.apply(namespace, resources) with an arbitrary target namespace. The validation in pkg/cel/policies/mpol/validate.go checks that the policy compiles but does not enforce namespace scope, and GenerateResources in pkg/cel/libs/context.go does not reject the cross-namespace target. A user who can create NamespacedMutatingPolicy objects in one namespace can cause the admission controller, operating with cluster-wide privileges, to create ConfigMaps, NetworkPolicies, Secrets, RoleBindings, and other resources in another namespace, enabling unauthorized modification and potential privilege escalation. This issue is fixed in version 1.18.2.

JSON

To clipboard

{
  "affected": [
    {
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "Bitnami",
        "name": "kyverno",
        "purl": "pkg:bitnami/kyverno"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "1.18.0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "1.18.2"
            }
          ],
          "type": "SEMVER"
        }
      ],
      "severity": [
        {
          "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N",
          "type": "CVSS_V3"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-54523"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cpes": [
      "cpe:2.3:a:kyverno:kyverno:*:*:*:*:*:go:*:*"
    ],
    "severity": "Critical"
  },
  "details": "Kyverno is a policy engine designed for cloud native platform engineering teams. From 1.18.0 until 1.18.2, the NamespacedMutatingPolicy CEL compiler exposes the generator library to matchConditions, allowing a namespace-scoped policy to invoke generator.apply(namespace, resources) with an arbitrary target namespace. The validation in pkg/cel/policies/mpol/validate.go checks that the policy compiles but does not enforce namespace scope, and GenerateResources in pkg/cel/libs/context.go does not reject the cross-namespace target. A user who can create NamespacedMutatingPolicy objects in one namespace can cause the admission controller, operating with cluster-wide privileges, to create ConfigMaps, NetworkPolicies, Secrets, RoleBindings, and other resources in another namespace, enabling unauthorized modification and potential privilege escalation. This issue is fixed in version 1.18.2.",
  "id": "BIT-kyverno-2026-54523",
  "modified": "2026-09-02T15:04:30.450Z",
  "published": "2026-09-02T14:44:00.671Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/commit/0919553c0ea1904f8d891280c92018da97946a06"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/commit/5164bcdeda5b57678bc2d7a03ecc2cbb02982dae"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pull/16238"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/releases/tag/v1.18.2"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/security/advisories/GHSA-79gf-7frw-68m9"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/sdk/commit/6573937441443e1ba5af9fbb28d5c0f20297f9df"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-54523"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.6.2",
  "summary": "Kyverno: NamespacedGeneratingPolicy generator.apply() namespace argument unvalidated -- background controller creates RoleBindings in any namespace including kube-system"
}

CVE-2026-54523 (GCVE-0-2026-54523)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-08-26 14:20 – Updated: 2026-08-26 15:06

Title

Kyverno: NamespacedGeneratingPolicy generator.apply() namespace argument unvalidated -- background controller creates RoleBindings in any namespace including kube-system

Summary

Severity

9.6 (Critical)


                        
                          CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N

SSVC

Exploitation: poc Automatable: no Technical Impact: total

CISA Coordinator · CISA-ADP (v2.0.3)

Decision recorded 2026-08-26 15:06 UTC

CWE

CWE-862 - Missing Authorization

Assigner

GitHub_M mitre root

References

6 references

URL	Tags
https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/security/advis…	x_refsource_CONFIRM
https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pull/16238	x_refsource_MISC
https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/commit/0919553…	x_refsource_MISC
https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/commit/5164bcd…	x_refsource_MISC
https://github.com/kyverno/sdk/commit/65739374414…	x_refsource_MISC
https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/releases/tag/v1.18.2	x_refsource_MISC

Impacted products

1 product

Vendor	Product	Version
kyverno	kyverno	Affected: >= 1.18.0, < 1.18.2

Show details on NVD website

JSON

To clipboard

{
  "containers": {
    "adp": [
      {
        "metrics": [
          {
            "other": {
              "content": {
                "id": "CVE-2026-54523",
                "options": [
                  {
                    "Exploitation": "poc"
                  },
                  {
                    "Automatable": "no"
                  },
                  {
                    "Technical Impact": "total"
                  }
                ],
                "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                "timestamp": "2026-08-26T15:06:17.140283Z",
                "version": "2.0.3"
              },
              "type": "ssvc"
            }
          }
        ],
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2026-08-26T15:06:37.284Z",
          "orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
          "shortName": "CISA-ADP"
        },
        "references": [
          {
            "tags": [
              "exploit"
            ],
            "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/security/advisories/GHSA-79gf-7frw-68m9"
          }
        ],
        "title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
      }
    ],
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "product": "kyverno",
          "vendor": "kyverno",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "\u003e= 1.18.0, \u003c 1.18.2"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "Kyverno is a policy engine designed for cloud native platform engineering teams. From 1.18.0 until 1.18.2, the NamespacedMutatingPolicy CEL compiler exposes the generator library to matchConditions, allowing a namespace-scoped policy to invoke generator.apply(namespace, resources) with an arbitrary target namespace. The validation in pkg/cel/policies/mpol/validate.go checks that the policy compiles but does not enforce namespace scope, and GenerateResources in pkg/cel/libs/context.go does not reject the cross-namespace target. A user who can create NamespacedMutatingPolicy objects in one namespace can cause the admission controller, operating with cluster-wide privileges, to create ConfigMaps, NetworkPolicies, Secrets, RoleBindings, and other resources in another namespace, enabling unauthorized modification and potential privilege escalation. This issue is fixed in version 1.18.2."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "attackComplexity": "LOW",
            "attackVector": "NETWORK",
            "availabilityImpact": "NONE",
            "baseScore": 9.6,
            "baseSeverity": "CRITICAL",
            "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
            "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
            "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
            "scope": "CHANGED",
            "userInteraction": "NONE",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N",
            "version": "3.1"
          }
        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-862",
              "description": "CWE-862: Missing Authorization",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-08-26T14:20:55.122Z",
        "orgId": "a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa",
        "shortName": "GitHub_M"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/security/advisories/GHSA-79gf-7frw-68m9",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_CONFIRM"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/security/advisories/GHSA-79gf-7frw-68m9"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pull/16238",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pull/16238"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/commit/0919553c0ea1904f8d891280c92018da97946a06",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/commit/0919553c0ea1904f8d891280c92018da97946a06"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/commit/5164bcdeda5b57678bc2d7a03ecc2cbb02982dae",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/commit/5164bcdeda5b57678bc2d7a03ecc2cbb02982dae"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/kyverno/sdk/commit/6573937441443e1ba5af9fbb28d5c0f20297f9df",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/sdk/commit/6573937441443e1ba5af9fbb28d5c0f20297f9df"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/releases/tag/v1.18.2",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/releases/tag/v1.18.2"
        }
      ],
      "source": {
        "advisory": "GHSA-79gf-7frw-68m9",
        "discovery": "UNKNOWN"
      },
      "title": "Kyverno: NamespacedGeneratingPolicy generator.apply() namespace argument unvalidated -- background controller creates RoleBindings in any namespace including kube-system"
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa",
    "assignerShortName": "GitHub_M",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-54523",
    "datePublished": "2026-08-26T14:20:37.236Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-06-15T18:40:01.651Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-08-26T15:06:37.284Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2"
}

Sightings

Author	Source	Type	Date	Other

Nomenclature

Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.

Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.

The MITRE ATT&CK techniques below are AI-generated suggestions, inferred from the description of the vulnerability by the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-classification-roberta-base model, served locally by ML-Gateway. They have not been verified by an analyst and are provided for guidance only.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.
Browse all ATT&CK techniques and the vulnerabilities related to each.

Related by attack behaviour

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