CVE-2026-53576: Kestra: Unauthenticated RCE via /configs path-suffix auth-filter bypass
Kestra is an open-source, event-driven orchestration platform. Prior to 1.0.45 and 1.3.21, the authentication filter for the REST API (@Filter("/api/v1/")) treats any request whose path ends in /configs as the public instance-config endpoint and forwards it without a credential check. kestra addresses its resources by URL path segments that the caller chooses (/api/v1/{tenant}/flows/{namespace}, /api/v1/{tenant}/executions/{namespace}/{id}, /api/v1/{tenant}/namespaces/{namespace}/kv/{key}). An anonymous caller picks the literal configs as the final segment, and the request bypasses Basic-Auth entirely. Because the bypass reaches the flow-create and execution-trigger routes, an unauthenticated caller creates a flow containing a Shell or Process task and runs it. The task executes as root inside the kestra container. The official docker-compose.yml mounts /var/run/docker.sock, so root in the container reaches the host Docker daemon. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.0.45 and 1.3.21.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
Kestrato a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 1.0.45 - Upgrade
Upgrade
Kestrato a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 1.3.21 - Configuration
Update docker-compose.yml to not mount /var/run/docker.sock into the Kestra container to prevent container-root from reaching the host Docker daemon.
Kestra docker-compose.yml /var/run/docker.sock mount = remove - Compensating control
Apply network/access controls so that the Kestra REST API path-suffixes that could reach /api/v1/** (including endpoints that use path segments for tenant/namespace) are not reachable by unauthenticated callers (e.g., restrict inbound traffic to trusted clients and require authentication at the network/WAF/reverse-proxy layer).
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-53576?
The severity of CVE-2026-53576 is rated as critical with a score of 10.
How do I fix CVE-2026-53576?
To fix CVE-2026-53576, upgrade Kestra to version 1.0.45 or 1.3.21 or later.
What kind of vulnerability is CVE-2026-53576?
CVE-2026-53576 is classified as an unauthenticated remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability.
What components are affected by CVE-2026-53576?
CVE-2026-53576 affects the Kestra REST API due to an authentication filter bypass.
What could be the impact of CVE-2026-53576?
The impact of CVE-2026-53576 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on the server without authentication.