CVE-2026-24302: Azure Arc Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

CVE-2026-24302 Overview

CVE-2026-24302 is an Elevation of Privilege vulnerability affecting Azure Arc, Microsoft's hybrid cloud management solution. This vulnerability falls under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control), indicating a flaw in how the system enforces access restrictions. Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to elevate their privileges within Azure Arc-connected environments.

Critical Impact

This vulnerability enables unauthorized privilege escalation through network-based attacks with no user interaction required, potentially compromising confidentiality across connected hybrid environments.

Affected Products

• Azure Arc
• Azure Arc-enabled servers
• Azure Arc-enabled Kubernetes clusters

Discovery Timeline

• February 5, 2026 - CVE-2026-24302 published to NVD
• February 5, 2026 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-24302

Vulnerability Analysis

This Elevation of Privilege vulnerability stems from improper access control (CWE-284) within Azure Arc's architecture. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring authentication or user interaction. The scope of the vulnerability extends beyond the vulnerable component itself, meaning successful exploitation could impact resources managed by Azure Arc across connected environments.

The attack surface is significant given Azure Arc's role in managing hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructure. Organizations using Azure Arc to connect on-premises servers, Kubernetes clusters, or other resources to Azure management services should prioritize remediation.

Root Cause

The root cause is classified as Improper Access Control (CWE-284). This weakness indicates that the affected Azure Arc components fail to properly restrict access to resources or functionality, allowing attackers to bypass intended security boundaries. The vulnerability likely exists in the authentication or authorization mechanisms that govern access to Azure Arc management functions.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring no privileges or user interaction to exploit. An attacker with network access to vulnerable Azure Arc infrastructure could potentially exploit this flaw to gain elevated privileges. Given the changed scope indicated in the vulnerability characteristics, successful exploitation could impact the confidentiality of resources beyond the initially vulnerable component, potentially affecting the broader hybrid cloud environment managed through Azure Arc.

The vulnerability mechanism involves bypassing access control restrictions that should normally prevent unauthorized privilege escalation. For detailed technical information, refer to the Microsoft Security Update.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-24302

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected privilege escalation events in Azure Arc-connected resources
• Anomalous authentication patterns or unauthorized access attempts to Azure Arc management endpoints
• Unusual cross-resource access patterns from Azure Arc components
• Suspicious changes to Azure Arc configuration or connected resource permissions

Detection Strategies

• Monitor Azure Arc activity logs for unexpected privilege changes or unauthorized management operations
• Implement alerting on authentication failures and unusual access patterns to Azure Arc services
• Review Azure Resource Manager (ARM) audit logs for anomalous Azure Arc-related activities
• Enable Microsoft Defender for Cloud alerts related to Azure Arc and hybrid resources

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable Azure Monitor and configure log analytics for all Azure Arc-connected resources
• Set up Azure Security Center alerts for privilege escalation indicators
• Monitor network traffic to and from Azure Arc agents for unusual communication patterns
• Implement continuous monitoring of identity and access events across hybrid environments

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-24302

Immediate Actions Required

• Review and apply the latest security updates from Microsoft for Azure Arc components
• Audit current Azure Arc configurations and connected resources for signs of compromise
• Implement network segmentation to limit exposure of Azure Arc management interfaces
• Review and restrict permissions for Azure Arc service principals and managed identities

Patch Information

Microsoft has released a security update to address this vulnerability. Organizations should apply the patch immediately by following the guidance provided in the Microsoft Security Update. Ensure all Azure Arc agents and related components are updated to the latest patched versions.

Workarounds

• Restrict network access to Azure Arc management endpoints using network security groups (NSGs) or Azure Firewall
• Implement Conditional Access policies to require additional authentication factors for Azure Arc administrative access
• Enable just-in-time (JIT) VM access for Azure Arc-connected servers to reduce attack surface
• Review and minimize the permissions assigned to Azure Arc service accounts following the principle of least privilege

# Configuration example - Restrict Azure Arc network access with NSG
az network nsg rule create \
  --resource-group <resource-group> \
  --nsg-name <nsg-name> \
  --name RestrictAzureArcAccess \
  --priority 100 \
  --direction Inbound \
  --access Deny \
  --protocol '*' \
  --source-address-prefixes '*' \
  --destination-port-ranges 443 \
  --description "Restrict unauthorized access to Azure Arc endpoints"