CVE-2026-40868: Kyverno is a policy engine designed for cloud native platform engineering teams

Q: How do I fix CVE-2026-40868?

kyverno: upgrade to 1.16.4. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Q: Is CVE-2026-40868 being exploited?

CVE-2026-40868 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

Q: What does CVE-2026-40868 affect?

CVE-2026-40868 affects kyverno. Severity is high (CVSS 8.1). Kyverno is a policy engine designed for cloud native platform engineering teams. Prior to 1.16.4, kyverno’s apiCall servicecall helper implicitly injects Authorization: Bearer ... using the kyverno controller serviceaccount token when a pol

Q: How urgent is CVE-2026-40868?

Priority 39/100. High severity; Public exploit reference

Routine

HIGH 8.1UPGRADE

CVE-2026-40868 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 8.1) affecting kyverno. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

Kyverno is a policy engine designed for cloud native platform engineering teams. Prior to 1.16.4, kyverno’s apiCall servicecall helper implicitly injects Authorization: Bearer ... using the kyverno controller serviceaccount token when a policy does not explicitly set an Authorization header. Because context.apiCall.service.url is policy-controlled, this can send the kyverno serviceaccount token to an attacker-controlled endpoint (confused deputy)

Why this priority

High severity
Public exploit reference

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	8.1 (High)
Attack vector	Network (remote)
Attack complexity	Low
Privileges needed	Low
User interaction	None
EPSS exploit chance	0.3% (top 79%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-922
Published	2026-04-21
Last modified	2026-06-17

Publisher (CNA): GitHub, Inc. · Vendor: kyverno

Last updated 2026-06-17 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2026-04-21 19:16 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-17 10:45 UTCUpdated Record last modified

kyverno kyverno UPGRADE

Affected: < 1.16.4

Fixed in: 1.16.4

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy kyverno || rpm -q kyverno || kyverno --version

2. UPGRADE to 1.16.4 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade kyverno

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade kyverno

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2026-40868?

kyverno: upgrade to 1.16.4. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2026-40868 being exploited?

CVE-2026-40868 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2026-40868 affect?

CVE-2026-40868 affects kyverno. Severity is high (CVSS 8.1). Kyverno is a policy engine designed for cloud native platform engineering teams. Prior to 1.16.4, kyverno’s apiCall servicecall helper implicitly injects Authorization: Bearer ... using the kyverno controller serviceaccount token when a pol

How urgent is CVE-2026-40868?

Priority 39/100. High severity; Public exploit reference

Related CVEs

CVE-2026-41485 HIGH 7.7 UPGRADE Kyverno is a policy engine designed for cloud native platform engineering teams
CVE-2026-41323 HIGH 8.1 UPGRADE Kyverno is a policy engine designed for cloud native platform engineering teams
CVE-2026-41068 HIGH 7.7 UPGRADE Kyverno is a policy engine designed for cloud native platform engineering teams

References

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