CVE-2026-18677Network attack vectorHinoki check available

Workload identity spoofing via unbound dataplane token

Published Aug 12, 2026 · Updated Aug 12, 2026

Authentication bypass in Kong Mesh 2.13.0 through 2.13.9 and 2.14.0 through 2.14.1 allows remote authenticated users to spoof workload identities. In kuma-cp's XDS authenticator, validateWorkload accepts a tags-bound token without constraining the kuma.io/workload label used to build the SPIFFE ID. Exploitation requires universal mode, a workload-derived MeshIdentity template, and a non-workload-bound dataplane token; the spoofed identity satisfies the victim workload's MeshTrafficPermission rules and grants its permitted service access.

CVSS severity6.0
Medium
EPSS probability0.31%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkAvailable
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Summary

What happened

Authentication bypass in Kong Mesh 2.13.0 through 2.13.9 and 2.14.0 through 2.14.1 allows remote authenticated users to spoof workload identities. In kuma-cp's XDS authenticator, validateWorkload accepts a tags-bound token without constraining the kuma.io/workload label used to build the SPIFFE ID. Exploitation requires universal mode, a workload-derived MeshIdentity template, and a non-workload-bound dataplane token; the spoofed identity satisfies the victim workload's MeshTrafficPermission rules and grants its permitted service access.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-18677
Published
Aug 12, 2026
Updated
Aug 12, 2026
Vendor
Kong Inc.
Product
Kong Mesh
Classifications
CWE-290, T1078
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 12, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 12, 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=2.13.0 <2.13.10
  2. Affected versionversion=2.14.0 <2.14.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Kong Inc. · Kong Meshversion=2.13.0 <2.13.10; version=2.14.0 <2.14.2

Published CVSS scores

6.0KongCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA: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-290Authentication Bypass by Spoofing
T1078Valid Accounts

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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