---
id: CVE-2023-34091
aliases:
  - GHSA-hq4m-4948-64cc
  - GO-2023-1819
title: Kyverno resource with a deletionTimestamp may allow policy circumvention
summary: Kyverno resource with a deletionTimestamp may allow policy circumvention
severity: medium
cvss: 6.5
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N'
vendor: kyverno
product: github.com/kyverno/kyverno
ecosystem: go
affected:
  - github.com/kyverno/kyverno < 1.10.0
patched:
  - github.com/kyverno/kyverno 1.10.0
published: '2023-06-05'
updated: '2026-08-07'
source: OSV
sourceUrl: 'https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-hq4m-4948-64cc'
references:
  - url: 'https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/security/advisories/GHSA-hq4m-4948-64cc'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-34091'
  - url: 'https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno'
  - url: 'https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno/releases/tag/v1.10.0'
tags:
  - osv
  - go
epss: 0.00497
epssPercentile: 0.41675
ingestedAt: '2026-08-07T19:14:17.254Z'
---

## Overview

### Impact

In versions of Kyverno prior to 1.10.0, resources which have the `deletionTimestamp` field defined can bypass validate, generate, or mutate-existing policies, even in cases where the `validationFailureAction` field is set to `Enforce`. 

This situation occurs as resources pending deletion were being consciously exempted by Kyverno, as a way to reduce processing load as policies are typically not applied to objects which are being deleted. 

However, this could potentially result in allowing a malicious user to leverage the [Kubernetes finalizers feature](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/overview/working-with-objects/finalizers/) by setting a finalizer which causes the Kubernetes API server to set the `deletionTimestamp` and then not completing the delete operation as a way to explicitly to bypass a Kyverno policy. 

Note that this is not applicable to Kubernetes Pods but, as an example, a Kubernetes Service resource can be manipulated using an indefinite finalizer to bypass policies.


### Patches
This is resolved in Kyverno 1.10.0.

### Workarounds
There is no known workaround.

### References
_Are there any links users can visit to find out more?_


## Affected packages

- `github.com/kyverno/kyverno < 1.10.0`

## Remediation

Upgrade to a patched release:

- `github.com/kyverno/kyverno 1.10.0`