CVE-2026-18677
Received Received - Intake

Kong Mesh Universal Mode SPIFFE ID Spoofing via Workload Label

Publication date: 2026-08-12

Last updated on: 2026-08-12

Assigner: Kong

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.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-12
Last Modified
2026-08-12
Generated
2026-08-13
AI Q&A
2026-08-12
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-18677
EUVD
EUVD-2026-57424

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 3 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
kumahq kuma 2.13.10
kumahq kuma 2.14.2
kumahq kuma From 2.13.0 (inc) to 2.14.0 (exc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-290 This attack-focused weakness is caused by incorrectly implemented authentication schemes that are subject to spoofing attacks.

Attack-Flow Graph

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability affects Kong Mesh in universal mode with MeshIdentity enabled. A dataplane token without a workload binding can impersonate another workload by setting the kuma.io/workload label to a different value. The XDS authenticator only validates the workload label when the token is bound to a workload, which is optional. This allows an attacker to bypass MeshTrafficPermission RBAC rules that rely on SPIFFE identities.

Detection Guidance

To detect this vulnerability, check if your Kong Mesh universal mode deployment uses a MeshIdentity with a SPIFFE ID path template that includes the workload label (e.g., /workload/{{ .Workload }}). Inspect dataplane tokens for tags-bound tokens without workload binding. Verify if kuma.io/workload labels are set arbitrarily on dataplanes.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could impersonate a legitimate workload, gaining unauthorized access to resources or data within the service mesh. This could lead to data breaches, unauthorized actions, or bypassing security controls that depend on SPIFFE identities for access control.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, violating confidentiality requirements in GDPR and HIPAA. It undermines access control mechanisms, potentially resulting in non-compliance with data protection regulations due to increased risk of data breaches.

Mitigation Strategies

Upgrade Kong Mesh to versions 2.13.10 or 2.14.2 or later to enforce workload-bound token requirements. Ensure all dataplane tokens are bound to workloads when using workload-derived identities. Review and update SPIFFE ID templates to avoid workload label dependencies if not required.

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