kyverno: Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition
CVE-2026-122321 is a critical-severity time-of-check time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition vulnerability in kyverno, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1 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 version 1.19.2 as the first without the flaw, so updating kyverno to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.22% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Update kyverno to 1.19.2 or a later version.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
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
- LowPerformance or availability is reduced.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:L. Scored by CNA (vulncheck.com).
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 4.0 | 8.5 | High | CNA (vulncheck.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 9.1 | Critical | CNA (vulncheck.com) |
Official description
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.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition
The product checks the state of a resource before using that resource, but the resource's state can change between the check and the use in a way that invalidates the results of the check.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- The most basic advice for TOCTOU vulnerabilities is to not perform a check before the use. This does not resolve the underlying issue of the execution of a function on a resource whose state and identity cannot be assured, but it does help to limit the false sense of security given by the check.
- When the file being altered is owned by the current user and group, set the effective gid and uid to that of the current user and group when executing this statement.
- Limit the interleaving of operations on files from multiple processes.
More Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition vulnerabilities (CWE-367)
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
Third-party and government advisories
Other vulnerabilities in kyverno
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.9 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.7 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
Recent Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition vulnerabilities
- 7.2 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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