{
  "affected": [
    {
      "ranges": [
        {
          "database_specific": {
            "extracted_events": [
              {
                "introduced": "1.18.0"
              },
              {
                "fixed": "1.18.2"
              }
            ],
            "source": [
              "AFFECTED_FIELD",
              "REFERENCES"
            ]
          },
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "78e7560a5531fda5a39ffb119d7d8e47527d8aee"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "0919553c0ea1904f8d891280c92018da97946a06"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "5164bcdeda5b57678bc2d7a03ecc2cbb02982dae"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "945ac9ce8546ea6cd51370f24b615148c577da5e"
            }
          ],
          "repo": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno",
          "type": "GIT"
        },
        {
          "database_specific": {
            "source": "REFERENCES"
          },
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "6573937441443e1ba5af9fbb28d5c0f20297f9df"
            }
          ],
          "repo": "https://github.com/kyverno/sdk",
          "type": "GIT"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "GHSA-79gf-7frw-68m9"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cna_assigner": "GitHub_M",
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-862"
    ],
    "osv_generated_from": "https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/54xxx/CVE-2026-54523.json"
  },
  "details": "Kyverno is a policy engine designed for cloud native platform engineering teams. From 1.18.0 until 1.18.2, the NamespacedMutatingPolicy CEL compiler exposes the generator library to matchConditions, allowing a namespace-scoped policy to invoke generator.apply(namespace, resources) with an arbitrary target namespace. The validation in pkg/cel/policies/mpol/validate.go checks that the policy compiles but does not enforce namespace scope, and GenerateResources in pkg/cel/libs/context.go does not reject the cross-namespace target. A user who can create NamespacedMutatingPolicy objects in one namespace can cause the admission controller, operating with cluster-wide privileges, to create ConfigMaps, NetworkPolicies, Secrets, RoleBindings, and other resources in another namespace, enabling unauthorized modification and potential privilege escalation. This issue is fixed in version 1.18.2.",
  "id": "CVE-2026-54523",
  "modified": "2026-08-28T11:30:46.650830504Z",
  "published": "2026-08-26T14:20:37.236Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/releases/tag/v1.18.2"
    },
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/54xxx/CVE-2026-54523.json"
    },
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/security/advisories/GHSA-79gf-7frw-68m9"
    },
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-54523"
    },
    {
      "type": "FIX",
      "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/commit/0919553c0ea1904f8d891280c92018da97946a06"
    },
    {
      "type": "FIX",
      "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/commit/5164bcdeda5b57678bc2d7a03ecc2cbb02982dae"
    },
    {
      "type": "FIX",
      "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pull/16238"
    },
    {
      "type": "FIX",
      "url": "https://github.com/kyverno/sdk/commit/6573937441443e1ba5af9fbb28d5c0f20297f9df"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.9.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "Kyverno: NamespacedGeneratingPolicy generator.apply() namespace argument unvalidated -- background controller creates RoleBindings in any namespace including kube-system"
}