CVE-2026-62290
From 1.18.0 until 1.19.6 and 1.20.3, Challenge resources under acme.cert-manager.io can be created directly by namespace users without admission validation tying the Challenge to an Order, owner reference, or Issuer-selected solver, allowing…
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (0.10%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
cert-manager adds certificates and certificate issuers as resource types in Kubernetes clusters, and simplifies the process of obtaining, renewing and using those certificates. From 1.18.0 until 1.19.6 and 1.20.3, Challenge resources under acme.cert-manager.io can be created directly by namespace users without admission validation tying the Challenge to an Order, owner reference, or Issuer-selected solver, allowing attacker-controlled Challenge.spec.solver values referencing a ClusterIssuer to bypass DNS01 solver selectors such as dnsZones, dnsNames, and matchLabels and cause cert-manager to use ClusterIssuer DNS credentials for attacker-selected provider settings and DNS names, including disclosure of X-Api-User and X-Api-Key headers for acme-dns. This issue is fixed in versions 1.19.6 and 1.20.3.
- CVSS 3.1
- 7.3 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N
- EPSS
- 0.10% probability · 1th percentile
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-863
- Affected
- linuxfoundation/cert-manager
- Source
- security-advisories@github.com
References
- https://github.com/cert-manager/cert-manager/commit/6bda47297c8fbc6b121b8b76624b668d26f1a155Patch
- https://github.com/cert-manager/cert-manager/commit/b37dbf01ecea50a0b3a19df0a7fe4c5ad6803f16Patch
- https://github.com/cert-manager/cert-manager/pull/8940Issue Tracking, Patch
- https://github.com/cert-manager/cert-manager/pull/8941Issue Tracking, Patch
- https://github.com/cert-manager/cert-manager/releases/tag/v1.19.6Product, Release Notes
- https://github.com/cert-manager/cert-manager/releases/tag/v1.20.3Product, Release Notes
- https://github.com/cert-manager/cert-manager/security/advisories/GHSA-8rvj-mm4h-c258Exploit, Mitigation, Vendor Advisory
- https://github.com/cert-manager/cert-manager/security/advisories/GHSA-8rvj-mm4h-c258Exploit, Mitigation, Vendor Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA. Refreshed daily.