# CVE-2026-2808: Consul vulnerable to arbitrary file reads through the vault kubernetes authentication provider

> Attackers can read arbitrary files from the server when Consul is configured with Kubernetes authentication, exposing sensitive data.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 11 Mar 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** BIT-consul-2026-2808, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-2808, GHSA-cpfq-66p2-336j, GO-2026-4690, SUSE-SU-2026:2740-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-2808

## What is CVE-2026-2808?

CVE-2026-2808 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in HashiCorp Consul, published on 11 Mar 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

HashiCorp Consul and Consul Enterprise 1.18.20 up to 1.21.10 and 1.22.4 are vulnerable to arbitrary file read when configured with Kubernetes authentication. This vulnerability, CVE-2026-2808, is fixed in Consul 1.18.21, 1.21.11 and 1.22.5.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-2808?

8 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/hashicorp/consul and consul.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/hashicorp/consul` | Go | All versions | 1.18.21 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/consul` | Go | All versions | 1.18.21 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/consul` | Go | All versions | 1.22.5 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/consul` | Go | From 1.19.0 | 1.21.11 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/consul` | Go | From 1.19.0 | 1.21.11 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/consul` | Go | From 1.22.0-rc1 | 1.22.5 |
| `github.com/hashicorp/consul` | Go | From 1.22.0-rc1 | 1.22.5 |
| `consul` | Bitnami | All versions | 1.22.5 |
| `golang-github-docker-libnetwork` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.3 | All versions | 0.7.0.1+gitr2908_55e924b8-150000.4.34.1 |
| `golang-github-docker-libnetwork` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.4 | All versions | 0.7.0.1+gitr2908_55e924b8-150000.4.34.1 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-2808?

Upgrade github.com/hashicorp/consul to a fixed version for your release line: 1.18.21, 1.22.5 or 1.21.11.

## Is CVE-2026-2808 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-2808 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-2808 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-2808 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in HashiCorp Consul, published on 11 Mar 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-2808 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/hashicorp/consul (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.18.21
- github.com/hashicorp/consul (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.18.21
- github.com/hashicorp/consul (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.22.5
- github.com/hashicorp/consul (Go): affected from 1.19.0; fixed in 1.21.11
- github.com/hashicorp/consul (Go): affected from 1.19.0; fixed in 1.21.11
- github.com/hashicorp/consul (Go): affected from 1.22.0-rc1; fixed in 1.22.5
- github.com/hashicorp/consul (Go): affected from 1.22.0-rc1; fixed in 1.22.5
- consul (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 1.22.5

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-2026-2808/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-2808/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-2808
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-2808
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-2808

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-2808/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.