Kyverno 1.18.0 before 1.19.2 verifyImages Cache Signature Verification Bypass
- Exploited
- No known exploitation
- Fix
- Fixed in 1.19.2
- Who is exposed
- Specific setups only
Do first: Check whether your setup matches what the bug needs. Kyverno versions 1.18.0 through 1.19.1 (fixed in 1.19.2). A verifyImages policy matches an image tag (not a pinned digest) with useCache: true and the default image verification cache enabled. The image reference has no digest (tag-based), so mutateDigest resolves the current digest for the tag and patches it into the workload.
- Last modified
- FIRST's estimate of the chance attackers exploit it in the next 30 days, updated daily.What do these mean? →
- 0.23% · 13th percentile
- A 0-100 score for how much a CVE matters across the industry: exploitation, exposure, how widely the software is used, severity and whether a fix exists.What do these mean? →
- 17/100 · provisional
- How many real-world setups can hit the bug, from the vendor's advisory and CISA data. It does not know your setup.What do these mean? →
- Specific setups only
- Whether working attack code is public (Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei or GitHub). Public code makes attacks easier.What do these mean? →
- None on Exploit-DB, Metasploit or GitHub
Summary
Kyverno 1.18.0 before 1.19.2 contains a signature verification bypass in verifyImages because cached verification results are keyed by the image reference string (such as a tag) rather than bound to the verified digest, so cache hits skip signature and attestation checks. An attacker who can submit workloads and move a registry tag can warm the cache with a signed image, repoint the tag, and have Kyverno admit the workload and use mutateDigest to pin the unverified digest.
cve.now Index
- Exploitation?/40Unknown. No CISA SSVC exploitation rating yet
- Exposure8/25Specific setups only, reachable over the network
- Reach?/20Unknown. No tracked technology or package matched
- Severity8.5/10CVSS 8.5
- No patch0/5No signal
What would change the score
- Would score about 67 if added to CISA KEV
- Would score about 62 if CISA's SSVC rates exploitation active
- Would score about 24 if CISA's SSVC rates it automatable
What to do
Check whether your setup matches what the bug needs.
Kyverno versions 1.18.0 through 1.19.1 (fixed in 1.19.2). A verifyImages policy matches an image tag (not a pinned digest) with useCache: true and the default image verification cache enabled. The image reference has no digest (tag-based), so mutateDigest resolves the current digest for the tag and patches it into the workload.Upgrade to a fixed version: 1.19.2.
Timeline
- CVE published
- First seen by cve.now
Affected versions
- kyverno kyverno
From 1.18.0 · fixed in 1.19.2
Evidence 2
- Advisory
- Link
Corrections
None so far.
Something wrong on this page? Report an error. Every fix is listed here.
Questions about CVE-2026-122321
Is CVE-2026-122321 being exploited?
It is not in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, and CISA's SSVC assessment does not mark exploitation as active. That does not mean it has not been attacked: vendors and researchers can report attacks before CISA lists them. No public exploit code is tracked.Source: cve.now feed data
What does this mean?
When a verifyImages policy matches an image tag rather than a pinned digest and uses cached verification, Kyverno can admit a workload and pin a digest that was never verified by the configured policy. This lets unverified images run in the cluster.Source: vulncheck.com, github.com
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-122321?
kyverno: from 1.18.0 before 1.19.2.Source: cve.now feed data
Am I affected, and how do I check?
Kyverno versions 1.18.0 through 1.19.1 are affected. The setup involves a verifyImages policy that matches image tags (not pinned digests) with useCache: true and the default image verification cache enabled. To check, run the Kyverno version command and review the verifyImages rules in your policies for useCache and tag-based image references.Source: vulncheck.com, github.com
How do I fix CVE-2026-122321?
Upgrade Kyverno to 1.19.2 or later, which contains the fix.Source: vulncheck.com, github.com