CVE-2026-124441: Kyverno authorization bypass in generate rule validation

CVE-2026-124441 · Severity: high · CVSS 8.8 · Published 2026-11-08

Kyverno is a policy engine for Kubernetes clusters that enforces resource creation rules. An authorization bypass flaw allows a tenant with limited namespace access to create policies that trick the privileged Kyverno controller into creating any resource type (like NetworkPolicies or RoleBindings) in any namespace, including victim namespaces or system namespaces. An attacker could exploit this to break network isolation, escalate privileges, or access sensitive data in other tenants' environments.

Technologies: Kyverno. Vendors: Kyverno.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2026-124441 exploited in the wild?
No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-124441 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2026-124441?
High severity, with a CVSS score of 8.8, published 8 November 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?
Kyverno before 1.19.2.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-124441?
Yes: fixed in 1.19.2. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.
How is CVE-2026-124441 attacked?
It is attacked over the network, in a hosted service.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-124441?
Check whether you run Kyverno at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

How to fix

  • Fixed in: 1.19.2

Technical details

The vulnerability exists in the generate rule validation logic (pkg/policy/generate/validate.go) where authorization checks are entirely skipped when the target kind or namespace contains {{ }} template variables. Additionally, even when checks occur, they verify whether the Kyverno ServiceAccount can create resources, not whether the policy author is authorized. At runtime, the background-controller substitutes attacker-controlled values from ConfigMap labels into the target namespace and kind, then creates resources as its privileged identity with no re-authorization as the triggering user.

Affected products

  • Kyverno Kyverno before 1.19.2

Timeline

  • 2026-10-23: disclosed
  • 2026-11-08: advisory

References

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