---
id: "CVE-2026-105986"
page: "https://infrastack.ai/live/CVE-2026-105986"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-105986"]
title: "Kong Gateway Enterprise: delegated admin can elevate privileges via RBAC flaw"
severity: "high"
cvss: 8.7
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "vendor"
products: [{"name": "Kong Gateway Enterprise", "fixed": ["3.10.0.20", "3.13.0.12", "3.14.0.17", "3.15.0.7", "3.16.0.2"], "affected": ">= 3.10.0.0, < 3.10.0.20; >= 3.13.0.0, < 3.13.0.12; >= 3.14.0.0, < 3.14.0.17; >= 3.15.0.0, < 3.15.0.7; >= 3.16.0.0, < 3.16.0.2", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "Kong AI Gateway", "fixed": ["2.2.1"], "affected": ">= 2.2.0, < 2.2.1", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: []
tags: ["api-gateway", "kong", "kong-gateway-enterprise", "rbac", "self-hosted", "vendor"]
not_affected_if: ["no-delegated-admins", "rbac-disabled", "single-admin"]
published_at: "2026-11-10T21:17:52+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-11-10T21:46:08+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-11-10T22:03:35+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-105986", "first_seen_at": "2026-11-10T21:46:08+00:00"}, {"source": "analyst", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-105986", "first_seen_at": "2026-11-10T22:03:35+00:00", "cites": ["https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-105986", "https://developer.konghq.com/gateway/changelog/"]}]
exploit_sources: []
---

# Kong Gateway Enterprise: delegated admin can elevate privileges via RBAC flaw

Link for people: https://infrastack.ai/live/CVE-2026-105986 (this .md is for agents)

Kong Gateway Enterprise's Admin API role-based access control does not check authorization correctly. A delegated administrator can gain higher privileges by using a percent-encoded role name or by assigning a role to themselves.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- vendor:Kong Gateway Enterprise affected >= 3.10.0.0, < 3.10.0.20; >= 3.13.0.0, < 3.13.0.12; >= 3.14.0.0, < 3.14.0.17; >= 3.15.0.0, < 3.15.0.7; >= 3.16.0.0, < 3.16.0.2 fixed 3.10.0.20, 3.13.0.12, 3.14.0.17, 3.15.0.7, 3.16.0.2
- vendor:Kong AI Gateway affected >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.1 fixed 2.2.1

## How to check

Run 'kong version' (or check the image tag/package) on every Enterprise node. You are exposed if the version is in 3.10.0.0-3.10.0.19, 3.13.0.0-3.13.0.11, 3.14.0.0-3.14.0.16, 3.15.0.0-3.15.0.6 or 3.16.0.0-3.16.0.1, AND RBAC is enforced (enforce_rbac) with delegated admins whose roles you did not fully trust. Also check Kong AI Gateway 2.2.0.

## Fix

Upgrade Kong Gateway Enterprise to 3.10.0.20, 3.13.0.12, 3.14.0.17, 3.15.0.7 or 3.16.0.2 (per branch). Kong AI Gateway: 2.2.1.

## Timeline

- 2026-11-10T21:46:08+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-105986
- 2026-11-10T22:03:35+00:00 analyst https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-105986 — NVD (Kong CNA) lists affected/fixed ranges; Kong changelog 3.16.0.2 (2026/11/10) confirms fix 'applying RBAC self-protection checks consistently'. Only the 3.16 changelog read; other branch fixes come from NVD only. No exploitation or PoC seen.

## Documents

- [advisory] NVD CVE-2026-105986 (Kong CNA) https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-105986
- [fix] Kong Gateway changelog (3.16.0.2) https://developer.konghq.com/gateway/changelog/

## From the sources

Incorrect authorization in the Admin API RBAC of Kong Gateway Enterprise allows a delegated administrator to elevate  privileges via a percent-encoded role name or a self-assigned role.

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