---
id: CVE-2026-122304
title: >-
  Kyverno 1.17.0 before 1.19.2 Privilege Escalation via CleanupPolicy Context
  Loader
summary: >-
  Kyverno from 1.17.0 before 1.19.2 contains an authorization bypass
  vulnerability that allows namespace admins to escape namespace confinement
  because the cleanup controller builds its context loader with a nil policy.
  Attackers can creat…
severity: critical
cvss: 9.9
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cvssSource: cna
cwe:
  - CWE-863
vendor: kyverno
product: kyverno
affected:
  - kyverno >= 1.17.0 < 1.19.2
published: '2026-11-05'
updated: '2026-11-05'
sourceUpdated: '2026-11-05T02:25:08.931Z'
source: CVEORG
sourceUrl: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-122304'
references:
  - url: 'https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/security/advisories/GHSA-p58h-r4j3-h5vx'
    label: GitHub Security Advisory (GHSA-p58h-r4j3-h5vx)
  - url: 'https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/security/advisories/GHSA-rcxg-3f92-3mgr'
    label: GitHub Security Advisory (GHSA-rcxg-3f92-3mgr)
  - url: >-
      https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/kyverno-1.17.0-before-1.19.2-privilege-escalation-via-cleanuppolicy-context-loader
    label: >-
      VulnCheck Advisory: Kyverno 1.17.0 before 1.19.2 Privilege Escalation via
      CleanupPolicy Context Loader
tags:
  - cve.org
ingestedAt: '2026-11-05T21:36:00.684Z'
epss: 0.00392
epssPercentile: 0.33581
---

## Overview

Kyverno from 1.17.0 before 1.19.2 contains an authorization bypass vulnerability that allows namespace admins to escape namespace confinement because the cleanup controller builds its context loader with a nil policy. Attackers can create a namespaced CleanupPolicy with apiCall or globalReference context entries to read cross-namespace Secrets and modify validatingwebhookconfigurations using the cleanup controller's ServiceAccount.

## Affected

- `kyverno >= 1.17.0 < 1.19.2`

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.