# CVE-2026-19444: Kubernetes kubectl cp path traversal on Windows allows arbitrary file writes

> A malicious container can write arbitrary files to the local Windows machine via kubectl cp, potentially leading to code execution or data modification.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 28 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 28 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-105173, GHSA-pw89-p422-jr5j, MINI-f886-px58-5mfq, MINI-h2q7-gvr4-mm23, MINI-p48g-f78v-pr7f, MINI-r533-8cp4-59cf, MINI-vmrf-w668-73j4, MINI-xg95-h87p-7p8q, OESA-2026-4460, OESA-2026-4461, OESA-2026-4462, OESA-2026-4463

## What is CVE-2026-19444?

CVE-2026-19444 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Kubernetes, published on 28 Sep 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A path traversal vulnerability was discovered in the Kubernetes kubectl client's kubectl cp command on Windows. When copying files from a container, kubectl runs tar inside the container to build a tar archive, transfers it over the network, and unpacks it on the local machine. If the tar binary in the container is malicious, it can execute arbitrary code and emit unexpected output, allowing an attacker who controls container contents to write files to arbitrary paths on the user's local machine when kubectl cp is invoked, limited only by the system permissions of the local user. This issue only affects kubectl clients running on Windows.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-19444?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-19444?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-19444 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-19444 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-19444 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-19444 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Kubernetes, published on 28 Sep 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-19444 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Kubernetes. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-19444/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-19444/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-19444
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-19444
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-19444

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-19444/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.