# CVE-2026-79767: Gardener: Authorization Bypass via Group Subject Injection

> A project administrator can bypass authorization checks to add unauthorized group subjects, gaining broad access to sensitive cluster resources and credentials.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/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:** 22 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 23 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-gfjv-gqf2-c888, GO-2026-6568

## What is CVE-2026-79767?

CVE-2026-79767 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in gardener, published on 22 Sep 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Gardener implements the automated management and operation of Kubernetes clusters as a service. Prior to 1.142.6, 1.143.3, 1.144.2, and 1.145.0, the customverbauthorizer admission plugin's mustCheckProjectMembers manage-members check compares changes to User subjects but does not account for Group or ServiceAccount subjects in Project.spec.members. A project administrator who lacks manage-members permission can add arbitrary Group or ServiceAccount subjects, including the system:authenticated Group, and thereby grant broad project access. The resulting access can include Shoots, Secrets, and cloud provider credentials. This issue is fixed in versions 1.142.6, 1.143.3, 1.144.2, and 1.145.0.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-79767?

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


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `gardener/gardener` | Go | From 1.143.0 | 1.143.3 |
| `gardener/gardener` | Go | From 1.143.0 | 1.143.3 |
| `gardener/gardener` | Go | From 1.144.0 | 1.144.2 |
| `gardener/gardener` | Go | From 1.144.0 | 1.144.2 |
| `github.com/gardener/gardener` | Go | All versions | None |
| `github.com/gardener/gardener` | Go | All versions | 1.142.6 |
| `github.com/gardener/gardener` | Go | All versions | 1.142.6 |
| `github.com/gardener/gardener` | Go | All versions | 1.142.6 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-79767?

Upgrade gardener/gardener to a fixed version for your release line: 1.143.3 or 1.144.2.

## Is CVE-2026-79767 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-79767 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-79767 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-79767 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in gardener, published on 22 Sep 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-79767 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- gardener/gardener (Go): affected from 1.143.0; fixed in 1.143.3
- gardener/gardener (Go): affected from 1.143.0; fixed in 1.143.3
- gardener/gardener (Go): affected from 1.144.0; fixed in 1.144.2
- gardener/gardener (Go): affected from 1.144.0; fixed in 1.144.2
- github.com/gardener/gardener (Go): affected all versions; no fix listed
- github.com/gardener/gardener (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.142.6
- github.com/gardener/gardener (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.142.6
- github.com/gardener/gardener (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.142.6

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-2026-79767/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-79767/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-79767
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-79767
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-79767

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-79767/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.