CVE-2026-59269Network attack vector

Privilege escalation via malformed Active Directory group DN

Published Jul 9, 2026 · Updated Jul 9, 2026

Privilege escalation in VMware Pinniped 0.11.0 through 0.46.0 allows remote authenticated users to gain Kubernetes permissions. The Supervisor's default group-name builder incorrectly splits Active Directory group DNs at commas embedded in attribute values, allowing a modified CN or other DN field to alter the Kubernetes group name. Exploitation requires an ActiveDirectoryIdentityProvider with an empty groupName attribute, control over part of a matching group's DN, and valid credentials for an AD member of that group.

CVSS severity3.8
Low
EPSS probability0.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in VMware Pinniped 0.11.0 through 0.46.0 allows remote authenticated users to gain Kubernetes permissions. The Supervisor's default group-name builder incorrectly splits Active Directory group DNs at commas embedded in attribute values, allowing a modified CN or other DN field to alter the Kubernetes group name. Exploitation requires an ActiveDirectoryIdentityProvider with an empty groupName attribute, control over part of a matching group's DN, and valid credentials for an AD member of that group.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-59269
Published
Jul 9, 2026
Updated
Jul 9, 2026
Vendor
VMware
Product
Pinniped
Classifications
CWE-20, T1068
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 9, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jul 9, 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=0.11.0 <=0.46.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

VMware · Pinnipedversion=0.11.0 <=0.46.0

Published CVSS scores

3.8VMwareCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/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-20Improper Input Validation
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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