CVE-2026-18621

Received Received - Intake

Privilege Escalation in Data Science Pipelines via Argo Workflow

Publication date: 2026-08-10

Last updated on: 2026-08-10

Assigner: Red Hat, Inc.

Description

A flaw was found in Data Science Pipelines (DSP). An attacker with namespace editor privileges can bypass security hardening by submitting a malicious Argo Workflow through the V1 API path. This allows the API server to create pods with elevated privileges, acting as a 'confused deputy' on behalf of the attacker. Successful exploitation grants the attacker node-root access, enabling arbitrary code execution and full control over the underlying node.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

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Meta Information

Published

2026-08-10

Last Modified

2026-08-10

Generated

2026-08-11

AI Q&A

2026-08-11

EPSS Evaluated

N/A

NVD

CVE-2026-18621

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
redhat	data_science_pipelines	*

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-266	A product incorrectly assigns a privilege to a particular actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a privilege escalation flaw in Data Science Pipelines (DSP). An attacker with namespace editor rights can submit a malicious Argo Workflow via the V1 API. The API server then creates pods with elevated privileges, acting as a confused deputy for the attacker. This grants node-root access, allowing arbitrary code execution and full control over the node.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability allows an attacker to gain full control over the affected node. This could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of services, installation of malware, or lateral movement within the network. Systems running DSP with namespace editor privileges are at risk.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to data breaches, unauthorized access, or data exfiltration, violating GDPR and HIPAA requirements for data protection and access control. Organizations may face compliance violations, legal penalties, and reputational damage if exploited.

Mitigation Strategies

Restrict namespace editor privileges to only trusted users. Disable the V1 API path for Argo Workflows if not required. Monitor for unauthorized pod creation with elevated privileges. Apply least privilege principles to all service accounts and roles.

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