{
    "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
    "dataVersion": "5.2",
    "cveMetadata": {
        "cveId": "CVE-2026-18677",
        "assignerOrgId": "02762ae7-200e-4b20-9b2b-a77d5b8fc4cb",
        "state": "PUBLISHED",
        "assignerShortName": "Kong",
        "dateReserved": "2026-08-03T15:20:45.630Z",
        "datePublished": "2026-08-12T18:47:06.710Z",
        "dateUpdated": "2026-08-13T14:49:27.614Z"
    },
    "containers": {
        "cna": {
            "providerMetadata": {
                "orgId": "02762ae7-200e-4b20-9b2b-a77d5b8fc4cb",
                "shortName": "Kong",
                "dateUpdated": "2026-08-12T18:47:06.710Z"
            },
            "title": "Kong Mesh: a dataplane token without a workload binding can claim any workload's SPIFFE identity",
            "problemTypes": [
                {
                    "descriptions": [
                        {
                            "lang": "en",
                            "cweId": "CWE-290",
                            "description": "CWE-290 Authentication Bypass by Spoofing",
                            "type": "CWE"
                        }
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "impacts": [
                {
                    "descriptions": [
                        {
                            "lang": "en",
                            "value": "Workload identity spoofing"
                        }
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "affected": [
                {
                    "vendor": "Kong Inc.",
                    "product": "Kong Mesh",
                    "platforms": [
                        "Linux"
                    ],
                    "modules": [
                        "kuma-cp"
                    ],
                    "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"
                        }
                    ],
                    "defaultStatus": "unaffected"
                }
            ],
            "descriptions": [
                {
                    "lang": "en",
                    "value": "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.",
                    "supportingMedia": [
                        {
                            "type": "text/html",
                            "base64": false,
                            "value": "<p>In Kong Mesh running in universal mode with a <code>MeshIdentity</code> whose SPIFFE ID path template derives from the dataplane's <code>kuma.io/workload</code> label, the XDS authenticator in <code>kuma-cp</code> 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 <code>kuma.io/workload</code> set to any value and obtain another workload's SPIFFE identity.</p>"
                        }
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "references": [
                {
                    "url": "https://github.com/kumahq/kuma/security/advisories/GHSA-744g-c785-x65q",
                    "name": "Upstream advisory GHSA-744g-c785-x65q",
                    "tags": [
                        "vendor-advisory"
                    ]
                },
                {
                    "url": "https://github.com/kumahq/kuma/pull/17474",
                    "name": "kumahq/kuma#17474 (master)",
                    "tags": [
                        "patch"
                    ]
                },
                {
                    "url": "https://github.com/kumahq/kuma/pull/17503",
                    "name": "kumahq/kuma#17503 (release-2.13 backport)",
                    "tags": [
                        "patch"
                    ]
                },
                {
                    "url": "https://github.com/kumahq/kuma/pull/17502",
                    "name": "kumahq/kuma#17502 (release-2.14 backport)",
                    "tags": [
                        "patch"
                    ]
                },
                {
                    "url": "https://developer.konghq.com/mesh/changelog/",
                    "name": "Kong MESH Changelog",
                    "tags": [
                        "release-notes"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "metrics": [
                {
                    "format": "CVSS",
                    "scenarios": [
                        {
                            "lang": "en",
                            "value": "GENERAL"
                        }
                    ],
                    "cvssV4_0": {
                        "attackVector": "NETWORK",
                        "attackComplexity": "LOW",
                        "attackRequirements": "PRESENT",
                        "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
                        "userInteraction": "NONE",
                        "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
                        "subConfidentialityImpact": "NONE",
                        "vulnIntegrityImpact": "LOW",
                        "subIntegrityImpact": "NONE",
                        "vulnAvailabilityImpact": "NONE",
                        "subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE",
                        "exploitMaturity": "NOT_DEFINED",
                        "Safety": "NOT_DEFINED",
                        "Automatable": "NOT_DEFINED",
                        "Recovery": "NOT_DEFINED",
                        "valueDensity": "NOT_DEFINED",
                        "vulnerabilityResponseEffort": "NOT_DEFINED",
                        "providerUrgency": "NOT_DEFINED",
                        "version": "4.0",
                        "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
                        "baseScore": 6,
                        "vectorString": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
                    }
                }
            ],
            "configurations": [
                {
                    "lang": "en",
                    "value": "You are affected if all of the following hold:\n\n  *  The control plane runs in universal mode.\n  *  A MeshIdentity is configured whose SPIFFE ID path template derives from the workload label, including the default universal template /workload/{{ .Workload }}.\n  *  Dataplanes authenticate with tokens that are not bound to a workload (tags-bound tokens, the common case, since workload binding is newer and optional).\n\n\n\n\nYou are not affected if:\n\n  *  The control plane runs in Kubernetes mode. Its identity template is /ns/{{ .Namespace }}/sa/{{ .ServiceAccount }}, and the control plane derives those values from the pod's real identity rather than from a label the workload sets.\n  *  Your MeshIdentity uses a SPIFFE template that does not reference the workload label.\n  *  Every dataplane whose identity derives from the workload label already uses a workload-bound token.",
                    "supportingMedia": [
                        {
                            "type": "text/html",
                            "base64": false,
                            "value": "<p>You are affected if all of the following hold:</p><ul><li>The control plane runs in universal mode.</li><li>A <code>MeshIdentity</code> is configured whose SPIFFE ID path template derives from the workload label, including the default universal template <code>/workload/{{ .Workload }}</code>.</li><li>Dataplanes authenticate with tokens that are not bound to a workload (tags-bound tokens, the common case, since workload binding is newer and optional).</li></ul><p>You are not affected if:</p><ul><li>The control plane runs in Kubernetes mode. Its identity template is <code>/ns/{{ .Namespace }}/sa/{{ .ServiceAccount }}</code>, and the control plane derives those values from the pod's real identity rather than from a label the workload sets.</li><li>Your <code>MeshIdentity</code> uses a SPIFFE template that does not reference the workload label.</li><li>Every dataplane whose identity derives from the workload label already uses a workload-bound token.</li></ul>"
                        }
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "workarounds": [
                {
                    "lang": "en",
                    "value": "Issue workload-bound dataplane tokens for every dataplane whose identity derives from the kuma.io/workload label. A workload-bound token constrains that label to the bound value, so a mismatched label is rejected at authentication.",
                    "supportingMedia": [
                        {
                            "type": "text/html",
                            "base64": false,
                            "value": "<p>Issue workload-bound dataplane tokens for every dataplane whose identity derives from the <code>kuma.io/workload</code> label. A workload-bound token constrains that label to the bound value, so a mismatched label is rejected at authentication.</p>"
                        }
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "solutions": [
                {
                    "lang": "en",
                    "value": "Upgrade to Kong Mesh 2.13.10 or 2.14.2, whichever matches your release line. In patched versions a dataplane whose identity derives from the kuma.io/workload label requires a workload-bound token; an unbound tags-only token is rejected at XDS authentication. Kubernetes mode and universal templates that do not reference the workload label keep working with unbound tokens.",
                    "supportingMedia": [
                        {
                            "type": "text/html",
                            "base64": false,
                            "value": "<p>Upgrade to Kong Mesh 2.13.10 or 2.14.2, whichever matches your release line. In patched versions a dataplane whose identity derives from the <code>kuma.io/workload</code> label requires a workload-bound token; an unbound tags-only token is rejected at XDS authentication. Kubernetes mode and universal templates that do not reference the workload label keep working with unbound tokens.</p>"
                        }
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "timeline": [
                {
                    "time": "2026-08-01T16:58:00.000Z",
                    "lang": "en",
                    "value": "Kong Mesh 2.13.10 and 2.14.2 published"
                }
            ],
            "credits": [
                {
                    "lang": "en",
                    "value": "kanywst",
                    "type": "finder"
                }
            ],
            "source": {
                "discovery": "EXTERNAL"
            }
        },
        "adp": [
            {
                "metrics": [
                    {
                        "other": {
                            "type": "ssvc",
                            "content": {
                                "timestamp": "2026-08-13T14:49:14.103209Z",
                                "id": "CVE-2026-18677",
                                "options": [
                                    {
                                        "Exploitation": "none"
                                    },
                                    {
                                        "Automatable": "no"
                                    },
                                    {
                                        "Technical Impact": "partial"
                                    }
                                ],
                                "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                                "version": "2.0.3"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                ],
                "title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment",
                "providerMetadata": {
                    "orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
                    "shortName": "CISA-ADP",
                    "dateUpdated": "2026-08-13T14:49:27.614Z"
                }
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        ]
    }
}