CVE-2026-78609
5.4 · MEDIUMIncorrect Authorization (CWE-863) in Elastic Cloud on Kubernetes (ECK) can lead to unauthorized modification of data via Metadata Spoofing (CAPEC-690).
Overview
CVE-2026-78609 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting elastic elastic_cloud_on_kubernetes. It was published on September 2, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.4 (MEDIUM).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.4, rated MEDIUM. It can be exploited remotely over the network. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
Technical description
Incorrect Authorization (CWE-863) in Elastic Cloud on Kubernetes (ECK) can lead to unauthorized modification of data via Metadata Spoofing (CAPEC-690). An actor holding limited Kubernetes permissions confined to a single namespace could cause attacker-controlled certificate material to be included in the Elasticsearch client trust bundle managed by ECK in a separate namespace.
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from elastic. Update elastic_cloud_on_kubernetes to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| elastic | elastic_cloud_on_kubernetes | >= 2.6.0, < 3.5.0 | Affected |
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Frequently asked questions
What is CVE-2026-78609?
CVE-2026-78609 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting elastic elastic_cloud_on_kubernetes. It was published on September 2, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.4 (MEDIUM).
How severe is CVE-2026-78609?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.4, rated MEDIUM. It can be exploited remotely over the network. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2026-78609?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from elastic. Update elastic_cloud_on_kubernetes to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2026-78609?
CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2026-78609 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.
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