CVE-2026-41888: Distribution: Tag deletion bypasses `storage.delete.enabled` configuration

Severity: medium (CVSS 6.5 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.3% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: yes
Published: 2026-05-14 · updated 2026-06-17
Weakness: CWE-863

Description

Distribution is a toolkit to pack, ship, store, and deliver container content. Prior to 3.1.1, tag deletion via the DELETE /v2/<name>/manifests/<tag> endpoint bypasses the storage.delete.enabled: false configuration, allowing any API client to remove tags from repositories even when the operator has explicitly disabled deletion. This vulnerability is fixed in 3.1.1.

Affected products

distribution: before 3.1.1 — fixed in 3.1.1

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: distribution 3.1.1. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

https://github.com/distribution/distribution/security/advisories/GHSA-6pjf-3r9x-m592
https://github.com/distribution/distribution/security/advisories/GHSA-6pjf-3r9x-m592

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