CVE-2026-122304
Kyverno 1.17.0 before 1.19.2 Privilege Escalation via CleanupPolicy Context Loader
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.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
9.4
Kyverno 1.17.0 before 1.19.2 Privilege Escalation via CleanupPolicy Context Loader
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-122304- CVSS 4.0
- 9.4 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H - CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-05
EUVDEUVD-2026-117215
9.4
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.
- Record
EUVD-2026-117215- CVSS 4.0
- 9.4 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H - Updated
- 2026-11-05
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-vhcf-rq9h-r35p
9.4
Kyverno from 1.17.0 before 1.19.2 contains an authorization bypass vulnerability that allows...
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.
- Record
GHSA-vhcf-rq9h-r35p- CVSS 4.0
- 9.4 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-05
NVD
9.4
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-122304- CVSS 4.0
- 9.4 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-05
OSV
9.4
Kyverno 1.17.0 before 1.19.2 Privilege Escalation via CleanupPolicy Context Loader
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-122304- CVSS 4.0
- 9.4 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H - Weakness
- CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-07
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| references | NVD, OSV | |
| cwes, references, severity, title | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD | |
| first indexed | EUVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-122304 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.4) in Kyverno, published November 5, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.39%, the 33rd percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
github.com/kyverno/kyverno/security/advisories/GHSA-p58h-r4j3-h5vx
github.com/kyverno/kyverno/security/advisories/GHSA-rcxg-3f92-3mgr
vulncheck.com/advisories/kyverno-1.17.0-before-1.19.2-privilege-escalation-via-cleanuppolicy-context-loader
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-122304
github.com/advisories/GHSA-vhcf-rq9h-r35p
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/122xxx/CVE-2026-122304.json