# CVE-2026-3288: ingress-nginx rewrite-target nginx configuration injection

> Attackers can inject nginx configuration via rewrite-target annotations to execute arbitrary code and read cluster secrets in ingress-nginx.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Mar 2026
- **Updated:** 30 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-c56h-j8gw-3v54

## What is CVE-2026-3288?

CVE-2026-3288 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Kubernetes ingress-nginx, published on 9 Mar 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A security issue was discovered in ingress-nginx where the `nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/rewrite-target` Ingress annotation can be used to inject configuration into nginx. This can lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the ingress-nginx controller, and disclosure of Secrets accessible to the controller. (Note that in the default installation, the controller can access all Secrets cluster-wide.)

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-3288?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Kubernetes Ingress-Nginx.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-3288?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-3288 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-3288 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-3288 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Walkthrough:  ingress-nginx Configuration Injection via rewrite-target Annotation (github_poc): https://github.com/SnailSploit/CVE-2026-3288
- https://github.com/bvabhishek/CVE-2026-3288-lab (github_poc): https://github.com/bvabhishek/CVE-2026-3288-lab

## Other vulnerabilities in Kubernetes ingress-nginx

- [CVE-2022-4886](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-4886/): Ingress-nginx `path` sanitization can be bypassed with `log_format` directive (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-5043](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5043/): Ingress nginx annotation injection causes arbitrary command execution (high 7.6)
- [CVE-2023-5044](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5044/): Code injection via nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/permanent-redirect annotation (high 7.6)
- [CVE-2021-25748](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25748/): Ingress-nginx `path` sanitization can be bypassed with newline character (high 7.6)
- [CVE-2021-25745](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25745/): Ingress-nginx path can be pointed to service account token file (high 7.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-3288 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-3288 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Kubernetes ingress-nginx, published on 9 Mar 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-3288 exists.

Affected product: Kubernetes ingress-nginx. 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-2026-3288/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-3288/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-3288
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-3288
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-3288

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-3288/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.