CVE-2026-62290 cert-manager: Direct ACME Challenge resources can bypass Issuer DNS01 solver policy and use ClusterIssuer DNS credentials
Namespace users can bypass DNS01 solver policies to use ClusterIssuer credentials, potentially disclosing sensitive API keys.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-62290?
CVE-2026-62290 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in cert-manager, published on 16 Jul 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
cert-manager adds certificates and certificate issuers as resource types in Kubernetes clusters, and simplifies the process of obtaining, renewing and using those certificates. From 1.18.0 until 1.19.6 and 1.20.3, Challenge resources under acme.cert-manager.io can be created directly by namespace users without admission validation tying the Challenge to an Order, owner reference, or Issuer-selected solver, allowing attacker-controlled Challenge.spec.solver values referencing a ClusterIssuer to bypass DNS01 solver selectors such as dnsZones, dnsNames, and matchLabels and cause cert-manager to use ClusterIssuer DNS credentials for attacker-selected provider settings and DNS names, including disclosure of X-Api-User and X-Api-Key headers for acme-dns. This issue is fixed in versions 1.19.6 and 1.20.3.
Weakness: CWE-863
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-62290?
5 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/cert-manager/cert-manager and cert-manager. It affects 1 product.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
github.com/cert-manager/cert-manager Go | From 1.18.0 | 1.19.6 |
github.com/cert-manager/cert-manager Go | From 1.18.0 | 1.19.6 |
github.com/cert-manager/cert-manager Go | From 1.20.0-alpha.0 | 1.20.3 |
github.com/cert-manager/cert-manager Go | From 1.20.0-alpha.0 | 1.20.3 |
cert-manager Bitnami | From 1.18.0 | 1.19.6, 1.20.3 |
Products include Linuxfoundation Cert-Manager.
How do I fix CVE-2026-62290?
Upgrade github.com/cert-manager/cert-manager to a fixed version for your release line: 1.19.6 or 1.20.3.
Upgrade, and check permissions on every request on the server, not only in the interface. More about Missing authorization.
Is CVE-2026-62290 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-62290 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as BIT-cert-manager-2026-62290, GHSA-8rvj-mm4h-c258, MINI-4v29-w8ch-j6pp, MINI-7797-hgj8-qvpj, MINI-78rj-fc3c-2mcj, MINI-g2h4-6qcj-r62h.