How severe is CVE-2026-23881?

CVE-2026-23881 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.7, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2026-23881 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (41st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-23881?

CVE-2026-23881 affects Kyverno. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2026-23881?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

Does CVE-2026-23881 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2026-23881 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-4812.

When was CVE-2026-23881 published?

CVE-2026-23881 was published on 2026-01-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2026-23881

CVE-2026-23881 is a high-severity vulnerability in Kyverno with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.7. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-770.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.7)
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (41st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2026-4812
Weakness: CWE-770
Affected product: Kyverno
Published: 2026-01-27
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Kyverno is a policy engine designed for cloud native platform engineering teams. Versions prior to 1.16.3 and 1.15.3 have unbounded memory consumption in Kyverno's policy engine that allows users with policy creation privileges to cause denial of service by crafting policies that exponentially amplify string data through context variables. Versions 1.16.3 and 1.15.3 contain a patch for the vulnerability.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-23881?: Kyverno is a policy engine designed for cloud native platform engineering teams. Versions prior to 1.16.3 and 1.15.3 have unbounded memory consumption in Kyverno's policy engine that allows users with policy creation privileges to cause denial of service by crafting policies that exponentially amplify string data through context variables. Versions 1.16.3 and 1.15.3 contain a patch for the vulnerability.
How severe is CVE-2026-23881?: CVE-2026-23881 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.7, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2026-23881 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (41st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2026-23881?: CVE-2026-23881 affects Kyverno. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2026-23881?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
Does CVE-2026-23881 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2026-23881 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-4812.
When was CVE-2026-23881 published?: CVE-2026-23881 was published on 2026-01-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:kyverno:kyverno:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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