CVE-2026-31801

zot create-only policy allows overwrite attempts of existing latest tag (update permission not required)

Published Mar 10, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 7.7 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
zot is ancontainer image/artifact registry based on the Open Container Initiative Distribution Specification. From 1.3.0 to 2.1.14, zot’s dist-spec authorization middleware infers the required action for PUT /v2/{name}/manifests/{reference} as create by default, and only switches to update when the tag already exists and reference != "latest". As a result, when latest already exists, a user who is allowed to create (but not allowed to update) can still pass the authorization check for an overwrite attempt of latest. This vulnerability is fixed in 2.1.15.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-85jx-fm8m-x8c6 zot’s create-only policy allows overwrite attempts of existing latest tag (update permission not required)
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Zotregistry
Zotregistry zot
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:zotregistry:zot:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Zotregistry
Zotregistry zot
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Project-zot
Project-zot zot
Vendors & Products Project-zot
Project-zot zot
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description zot is ancontainer image/artifact registry based on the Open Container Initiative Distribution Specification. From 1.3.0 to 2.1.14, zot’s dist-spec authorization middleware infers the required action for PUT /v2/{name}/manifests/{reference} as create by default, and only switches to update when the tag already exists and reference != "latest". As a result, when latest already exists, a user who is allowed to create (but not allowed to update) can still pass the authorization check for an overwrite attempt of latest. This vulnerability is fixed in 2.1.15.
Title zot create-only policy allows overwrite attempts of existing latest tag (update permission not required)
Weaknesses CWE-863
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.7, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
GitHub_M
Published
Updated
Mar 11, 2026, 4:00 PM
Reserved
Mar 9, 2026, 4:33 PM
Status
Analyzed
Published
Mar 10, 2026, 9:16 PM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 10:34 AM