Cross-namespace resource creation via unvalidated generator target
Published Aug 26, 2026 · Updated Aug 26, 2026
Authorization bypass in Kyverno 1.18.0 through 1.18.1 allows remote authenticated users to create resources across namespaces. The NamespacedMutatingPolicy CEL compiler exposes generator.apply() to matchConditions, while GenerateResources accepts its target namespace without enforcing the policy namespace. Permission to create a NamespacedMutatingPolicy in one namespace is sufficient to make the privileged admission controller create resources elsewhere, including RoleBindings that enable privilege escalation.
Summary
What happened
Authorization bypass in Kyverno 1.18.0 through 1.18.1 allows remote authenticated users to create resources across namespaces. The NamespacedMutatingPolicy CEL compiler exposes generator.apply() to matchConditions, while GenerateResources accepts its target namespace without enforcing the policy namespace. Permission to create a NamespacedMutatingPolicy in one namespace is sufficient to make the privileged admission controller create resources elsewhere, including RoleBindings that enable privilege escalation.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-54523
- Published
- Aug 26, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 26, 2026
- Vendor
- Kyverno
- Product
- Kyverno
- Classifications
- CWE-862, T1098.006
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 26, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 26, 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.
- Affected versionversion=>= 1.18.0, < 1.18.2
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Public exploit references
- Upstream NamespacedMutatingPolicy cross-namespace proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
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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