aws-privateca-issuer: Incorrect Authorization
CVE-2026-119115 is a high-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in aws-privateca-issuer from AWS, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 1.10.1, 1.10.1-eksbuild.1 as the first without the flaw, so updating aws-privateca-issuer to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.17% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update aws-privateca-issuer to 1.10.1 or 1.10.1-eksbuild.1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on aws.amazon.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS | aws-privateca-issuer | before 1.10.1; before 1.10.1-eksbuild.1 | 1.10.1, 1.10.1-eksbuild.1 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- LowSome restricted data can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- NoneAvailability is not affected.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:N. Scored by CNA.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 4.0 | 8.4 | High | CNA |
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.5 | High | CNA |
Official description
Incorrect authorization in the issuer resolution logic in AWS Private CA Connector for Kubernetes (aws-privateca-issuer) before v1.10.1 might allow an authenticated remote user to obtain certificates, including subordinate CA certificates, signed by a cluster-scoped AWS Private CA issuer that their approval policy does not authorize. To remediate this issue, users should upgrade aws-privateca-issuer to version v1.10.1 or the AWS Private CA Connector for Kubernetes EKS add-on to version v1.10.1-eksbuild.1, and update any certificate requests, Certificate resources, or Ingress annotations whose issuerRef.kind is missing, incorrect, or does not match the referenced issuer, since v1.10.1 requires issuerRef.kind to be exactly AWSPCAIssuer or AWSPCAClusterIssuer and to match the issuer it references.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Incorrect Authorization
The product performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action, but it does not correctly perform the check.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Divide the product into anonymous, normal, privileged, and administrative areas. Reduce the attack surface by carefully mapping roles with data and functionality. Use role-based access control (RBAC) to enforce the roles at the appropriate boundaries. Note that this approach may not protect against horizontal authorization, i.e., it will not protect a user from attacking others with the same role.
- Ensure that access control checks are performed related to the business logic. These checks may be different than the access control checks that are applied to more generic resources such as files, connections, processes, memory, and database records. For example, a database may restrict access for medical records to a specific database user, but each record might only be intended to be accessible to the patient and the patient's doctor.
- Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, consider using authorization frameworks such as the JAAS Authorization Framework and the OWASP ESAPI Access Control feature.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Patches and release notes
Recent Incorrect Authorization vulnerabilities
- 8.4 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.7 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
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