API token theft via disabled TLS verification
Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026
Improper certificate validation in Kong Inc. Kuma allows man-in-the-middle attackers to intercept kumactl API tokens. When a configured HTTPS profile lacks a CA file, ConfigureMTLS sets InsecureSkipVerify and accepts an unverified control-plane certificate. The attacker must control the network path while a user invokes kumactl; a stolen token grants the compromised user's control-plane permissions.
Summary
What happened
Improper certificate validation in Kong Inc. Kuma allows man-in-the-middle attackers to intercept kumactl API tokens. When a configured HTTPS profile lacks a CA file, ConfigureMTLS sets InsecureSkipVerify and accepts an unverified control-plane certificate. The attacker must control the network path while a user invokes kumactl; a stolen token grants the compromised user's control-plane permissions.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-50166
- Published
- Sep 15, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 15, 2026
- Vendor
- Kong Inc.
- Product
- Kuma
- Classifications
- CWE-295, T1557
- Attack vector
- adjacent
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 15, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 15, 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?
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- Affected versionversion=< 2.7.26
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
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Your stack
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