# CVE-2026-54100: Windows-machine-config-operator: windows-machine-config-operator: ssh host key not verified enables credential theft

> An attacker can intercept SSH connections to steal Windows node credentials due to missing host key verification in the Windows Machine Config Operator.

- **Severity:** High 8.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 22 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 14 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-q3jf-4x8j-368q

## What is CVE-2026-54100?

CVE-2026-54100 is a high-severity vulnerability in Redhat Openshift Container Platform, published on 22 Jun 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A flaw was found in the Windows Machine Config Operator (WMCO) for Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform. WMCO establishes SSH connections to Windows worker nodes without verifying the remote server host key. An adjacent-network attacker who can intercept or redirect WMCO's SSH session can capture WICD and kubelet bootstrap credentials transferred during node configuration, enabling compromise of Windows node identities in the cluster.

Weakness: CWE-295 (Improper Certificate Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-54100?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Redhat Openshift Container Platform, Redhat Windows Machine Config Operator.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-54100?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-54100 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-54100 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-54100 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Redhat Openshift Container Platform

- [CVE-2020-27836](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27836/): Missing authorization in cluster-ingress-operator (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-1085](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1085/): Misconfiguration in openshift-ansible (critical 9.0)
- [CVE-2026-54099](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-54099/): Privilege escalation in Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-1784](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-1784/): Ose-cluster-ingress-operator: remote code execution through haproxy configuration injection (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-20182](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20182/): Privilege escalation in openshift (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-54100 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-54100 is a high-severity vulnerability in Redhat Openshift Container Platform, published on 22 Jun 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-54100 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Redhat Openshift Container Platform. 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-2026-54100/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-54100/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-54100
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-54100
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-54100

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-54100/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.