CVE-2026-18544Network attack vector

Policy bypass via fabricated pod ownerReference

Published Aug 19, 2026 · Updated Aug 19, 2026

Missing authorization in IBM Portieris 0.5.0 through 0.14.2 allows remote authenticated users to bypass image policy enforcement. Its admission webhook treats a fabricated pod ownerReference whose Kind matches a supported controller type as proof of a known parent and skips policy checks. A user able to create pods can therefore deploy images that the configured namespace or cluster policy would otherwise deny.

CVSS severity8.1
High
EPSS probability0.33%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Missing authorization in IBM Portieris 0.5.0 through 0.14.2 allows remote authenticated users to bypass image policy enforcement. Its admission webhook treats a fabricated pod ownerReference whose Kind matches a supported controller type as proof of a known parent and skips policy checks. A user able to create pods can therefore deploy images that the configured namespace or cluster policy would otherwise deny.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-18544
Published
Aug 19, 2026
Updated
Aug 19, 2026
Vendor
IBM
Product
Portieris
Classifications
CWE-862, T1610
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 19, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 19, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0.5.0 <=0.14.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · Portierisversion=0.5.0 <=0.14.2

Published CVSS scores

8.1IBMCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-862Missing Authorization
T1610Deploy Container

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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