CVE-2026-102122 in Kiteworks
Summary
by MITRE • 10/01/2026
Kiteworks did not correctly enforce which roles a shared folder's manager was permitted to assign. In a default configuration, an authenticated user holding the Manager role on a folder could grant the Owner role to themselves or to other members of that folder.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/01/2026
The vulnerability identified in Kiteworks represents a critical failure in access control logic, specifically within the mechanism governing role assignment for shared folders. In secure enterprise file sharing and collaboration platforms, the principle of least privilege dictates that users should only be granted the minimum levels of access necessary to perform their duties. However, this flaw allows an authenticated user with the Manager role on a specific folder to escalate privileges by assigning the Owner role to themselves or other members within that same folder context. This behavior deviates from standard security expectations where managerial roles typically confer administrative capabilities over content and permissions but do not include the ability to transfer ultimate ownership of the resource, which is often reserved for system administrators or original creators with higher-level trust assumptions.
From a technical perspective, this issue stems from insufficient validation checks on the input parameters when processing role assignment requests. The application fails to verify whether the target user possesses sufficient authority to grant such high-privilege roles, effectively bypassing intended hierarchical constraints. In many default configurations of enterprise software, the Manager role is designed to allow users to add or remove members and modify permissions for existing files but explicitly restricts actions that could alter the fundamental ownership structure of a folder. By allowing self-elevation to Owner status, the system exposes itself to abuse where malicious insiders can gain unrestricted control over sensitive data stored within those folders. This includes the ability to delete content permanently, share it externally without restriction, or modify security settings in ways that bypass audit trails and compliance controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, particularly for organizations relying on Kiteworks for regulated data handling. An attacker who compromises a low-privileged account with Manager access can escalate their privileges to Owner status, thereby gaining full control over the associated folder. This escalation enables unauthorized exfiltration of confidential information, modification or destruction of critical business documents, and potential lateral movement within the organization if those folders contain credentials or configuration files for other systems. Furthermore, because the vulnerability exists in a default configuration, it affects a broad range of deployments without requiring complex exploitation techniques or specific environmental misconfigurations by administrators. The ease with which this privilege escalation can be achieved significantly lowers the barrier to entry for threat actors targeting these environments.
This flaw aligns closely with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) category CWE-269, Improper Privilege Management, and more specifically CWE-732, Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource. The ability of a user to assign roles beyond their authorized scope is also indicative of weaknesses in access control logic often associated with CWE-862, Missing Authorization. In the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability facilitates techniques related to Privilege Escalation (T1078) and potentially Account Manipulation (T1098), as an attacker could create new accounts or modify existing ones to maintain persistent access under a higher privilege level. The lack of proper validation on role assignment parameters allows the attacker to bypass intended security boundaries, undermining the integrity and confidentiality guarantees provided by the platform's default settings.
Mitigation strategies must focus on immediate patching followed by rigorous configuration reviews. Organizations should apply vendor-provided updates that correct the access control logic for folder management operations as soon as they become available. Until patches are deployed, administrators can implement compensating controls such as restricting Manager role assignments to trusted senior personnel and regularly auditing user permissions within shared folders using built-in logging tools if available. Additionally, enabling enhanced audit logs to monitor changes in ownership or high-level permission modifications can help detect potential abuse attempts early. It is also advisable to review the default configuration settings of Kiteworks instances to ensure that no unnecessary administrative privileges are granted to standard users and to enforce strict separation of duties between content management roles and system administration roles. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that these controls remain effective against evolving threat vectors.