Kubernetes kubectl cp path traversal on Windows allows arbitrary file writes (CVE-2026-19444) | HOL Guard CVE

Medium · CVSS 6.5CVE-2026-19444

Kubernetes kubectl cp path traversal on Windows allows arbitrary file writes

Answer in brief

CVE-2026-19444 records a Medium severity (CVSS 6.5) vulnerability in Kubernetes kubectl cp path traversal on Windows allows arbitrary file writes. The current sources do not mark it as known exploited. The current feed maps Kubernetes/Kubernetes (generic). Check affected ranges and fixed versions before updating.

Analysis pending evidence review

HOL Guard separates source facts from reviewed analysis. See the methodology.

Published Sep 28, 2026Updated Sep 28, 2026Source checked Sep 28, 2026First seen by HOL Sep 28, 2026Material review Sep 28, 2026

Upstream Advisory

Key facts

Risk: Medium · CVSS 6.5
Exploitation: Not marked as known exploited
Affected software: 1 mapped package or product
Fix availability: Not reported

Why this deserves its current priority

CVSS is 6.5. The current sources do not mark it as known exploited. Treat this as a source-backed prioritization signal, not a statement about your environment.

Analysis status

Analysis pending evidence review

Factual feed record only; HOL analysis is not approved for indexing. Read the methodology.

Affected scope and exposure questions

The current feed maps Kubernetes/Kubernetes (generic). Check affected ranges and fixed versions before updating.

Mapped affected packages and fixed versions
Package	Affected range	Fixed version
Kubernetes/Kubernetesgeneric	>=v1.36.0 <=v1.36.4 \|\| >=v1.35.0 <=v1.35.8 \|\| >=v1.34.0 <=v1.34.11	Not reported

Recommended response

Check inventory. Check lockfiles and deployed manifests for Kubernetes/Kubernetes.
Review the reported fix. Monitor this advisory for an available fix and review any installs of the affected package.

Evidence timeline and material changes

Published upstream
Sep 28, 2026
Evidence: source:cvelist:source_dates:source-dates:record
Source modified
Sep 28, 2026
Evidence: source:cvelist:source_dates:source-dates:record
First seen by HOL
Sep 28, 2026

Sources and claim methodology

Upstream source description

A path traversal vulnerability was discovered in the Kubernetes kubectl client's kubectl cp command on Windows. When copying files from a container, kubectl runs tar inside the container to build a tar archive, transfers it over the network, and unpacks it on the local machine. If the tar binary in the container is malicious, it can execute arbitrary code and emit unexpected output, allowing an attacker who controls container contents to write files to arbitrary paths on the user's local machine when kubectl cp is invoked, limited only by the system permissions of the local user. This issue only affects kubectl clients running on Windows.

Quoted source text, attributed separately from HOL analysis.