kyverno: Insecure Storage of Sensitive Information
CVE-2026-40868 is a high-severity insecure storage of sensitive information vulnerability in kyverno, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 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. Affected kyverno versions: < 1.16.4. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.29% 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
- Check which version of kyverno you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- 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
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component 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:U/C:H/I:H/A:N. Scored by CNA (github.com).
Official description
Kyverno is a policy engine designed for cloud native platform engineering teams. Prior to 1.16.4, kyverno’s apiCall servicecall helper implicitly injects Authorization: Bearer ... using the kyverno controller serviceaccount token when a policy does not explicitly set an Authorization header. Because context.apiCall.service.url is policy-controlled, this can send the kyverno serviceaccount token to an attacker-controlled endpoint (confused deputy). Namespaced policies are blocked from servicecall usage by the namespaced urlPath gate in pkg/engine/apicall/apiCall.go, so this report is scoped to ClusterPolicy and global context usage. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.16.4.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Insecure Storage of Sensitive Information
The product stores sensitive information without properly limiting read or write access by unauthorized actors.
More Insecure Storage of Sensitive Information vulnerabilities (CWE-922)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
- github.com/kyverno/kyverno/security/advisories/GHSA-q93q-v844-jrqpExploit, Mitigation
Other vulnerabilities in kyverno
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.9 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.7 High severity
Recent Insecure Storage of Sensitive Information vulnerabilities
- 8.6 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 10.0 Critical severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
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