CVE-2026-18677

Kong Mesh: a dataplane token without a workload binding can claim any workload's SPIFFE identity

MEDIUM
6
CVSS Score
Published: August 12, 2026 at 06:47 PM UTC
Updated: October 23, 2026 at 07:10 PM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorKong Mesh

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Severity
MEDIUM6
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.6%
SSVC
No known exploit

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.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

2.13.0 ≤ v < 2.13.102.14.0 ≤ v < 2.14.22.13.02.14.0
Affected range stops below 2.13.10, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 2.14.2, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

6MEDIUMKong
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusAWAITING ANALYSIS
CWE
CWE-290

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