CVE-2026-18677
Kong Mesh: a dataplane token without a workload binding can claim any workload's SPIFFE identity
Description
In Kong Mesh running in universal mode with a MeshIdentity whose SPIFFE ID path template derives from the dataplane's kuma.io/workload label, the XDS authenticator in kuma-cp validates that label only when the dataplane token is bound to a workload. Workload binding is optional, so a dataplane presenting a tags-bound token can register with kuma.io/workload set to any value and obtain another workload's SPIFFE identity.
INFO
Published Date :
Aug. 12, 2026, 7:17 p.m.
Last Modified :
Aug. 12, 2026, 7:17 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
Yes !
Source :
02762ae7-200e-4b20-9b2b-a77d5b8fc4cb
Affected Products
The following products are affected by CVE-2026-18677
vulnerability.
Even if cvefeed.io is aware of the exact versions of the
products
that
are
affected, the information is not represented in the table below.
No affected product recoded yet
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 4.0 | MEDIUM | 02762ae7-200e-4b20-9b2b-a77d5b8fc4cb | ||||
| CVSS 4.0 | MEDIUM | 02762ae7-200e-4b20-9b2b-a77d5b8fc4cb |
Solution
- Enforce workload binding for dataplane tokens.
- Validate the kuma.io/workload label during token validation.
- Update Kong Mesh to the latest secure version.
- Consult vendor advisories for specific configuration.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-18677.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-18677 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-18677
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-18677 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-18677 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
-
New CVE Received by 02762ae7-200e-4b20-9b2b-a77d5b8fc4cb
Aug. 12, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Affected [{'vendor': 'Kong Inc.', 'modules': ['kuma-cp'], 'product': 'Kong Mesh', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '2.13.0', 'lessThan': '2.13.10', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '2.14.0', 'lessThan': '2.14.2', 'versionType': 'semver'}], 'platforms': ['Linux'], 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}] Added Description In Kong Mesh running in universal mode with a MeshIdentity whose SPIFFE ID path template derives from the dataplane's kuma.io/workload label, the XDS authenticator in kuma-cp validates that label only when the dataplane token is bound to a workload. Workload binding is optional, so a dataplane presenting a tags-bound token can register with kuma.io/workload set to any value and obtain another workload's SPIFFE identity. Added CVSS V4.0 AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X Added CWE CWE-290 Added Reference https://developer.konghq.com/mesh/changelog/ Added Reference https://github.com/kumahq/kuma/pull/17474 Added Reference https://github.com/kumahq/kuma/pull/17502 Added Reference https://github.com/kumahq/kuma/pull/17503 Added Reference https://github.com/kumahq/kuma/security/advisories/GHSA-744g-c785-x65q