CVE-2026-50516

Analyzed Analyzed - Analysis Complete

Missing Authentication in Microsoft Azure Kubernetes Service

Publication date: 2026-08-11

Last updated on: 2026-08-12

Assigner: Microsoft Corporation

Description

Missing authentication for critical function in Microsoft Azure Kubernetes Service allows an unauthorized attacker to elevate privileges over a network.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published

2026-08-11

Last Modified

2026-08-12

Generated

2026-09-01

AI Q&A

2026-08-12

EPSS Evaluated

2026-08-30

NVD

CVE-2026-50516

EUVD

EUVD-2026-56778

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
microsoft	azure_kubernetes_service	*

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-306	The product does not perform any authentication for functionality that requires a provable user identity or consumes a significant amount of resources.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a missing authentication issue in Microsoft Azure Kubernetes Service. It allows an unauthorized attacker to gain elevated privileges over a network without proper authentication.

Detection Guidance

Detecting this vulnerability requires checking for missing authentication in Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) critical functions. Review AKS cluster configurations for exposed endpoints without authentication. Use Azure CLI commands like 'az aks show' to inspect cluster settings and 'kubectl get pods -A' to check for unauthorized pods. Monitor network traffic for unusual privilege escalation attempts.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to gain unauthorized control over Kubernetes resources, potentially leading to data breaches, service disruptions, or further network compromise.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, violating compliance requirements for GDPR and HIPAA, which mandate strict access controls and data protection measures.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest security updates from Microsoft for Azure Kubernetes Service immediately. Review network access controls to restrict unauthorized access to critical functions. Monitor for unusual privilege escalation attempts in your Kubernetes clusters.

Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-50516. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.

0/70