# CVE-2026-30836: step-ca has Unauthenticated Certificate Issuance via SCEP UpdateReq (MessageType=18)

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-30836-step-ca-has-unauthenticated-certificate-issuance-via-scep  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-03-23  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-30836 · Severity: low · CVSS 3.1 · Published 2026-03-23

step-ca has Unauthenticated Certificate Issuance via SCEP UpdateReq (MessageType=18) in github.com/smallstep/certificates

Technologies: [github.com/smallstep/certificates (Go)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/github-com-smallstep-certificates). Vendors: [Go](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/go).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-30836 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-30836 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-30836?** Low severity, with a CVSS score of 3.1, published 23 March 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** github.com/smallstep/certificates (Go) SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=0.30.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-30836?** Yes. github.com/smallstep/certificates (Go): upgrade to 0.30.0 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-30836?** Check whether you run github.com/smallstep/certificates (Go) 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

- github.com/smallstep/certificates (Go): upgrade to 0.30.0 or later

  ```sh
  go get github.com/smallstep/certificates@v0.30.0
  ```


## Affected products

- github.com/smallstep/certificates (Go) SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=0.30.0

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-30836
- GHSA-q4r8-xm5f-56gw
- GO-2026-4775

## Related threats

- [Smallstep Step CA index out-of-bounds panic in TPM attestation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-40097-smallstep-step-ca-index-out-of-bounds-panic-in-tpm-attestation)
- [GO-2025-4180 - Step CA Has Authorization Bypass in ACME and SCEP Provisioners in github.com/smallstep/certificates](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2025-44005-step-ca-has-authorization-bypass-in-acme-and-scep-provisioners)
- [GO-2025-4181 - step-ca Has Improper Authorization Check for SSH Certificate Revocation in github.com/smallstep/certificates](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2025-66406-step-ca-has-improper-authorization-check-for-ssh-certificate)