Critical 'Confused Deputy' Vulnerabilities Discovered in Major Cloud Platforms
In May and June 2026, security researcher Justin O'Leary identified 'confused deputy' vulnerabilities in Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). These flaws allowed attackers to escalate privileges and bypass access controls. In Azure, the issue involved the Kubernetes Service backup feature, enabling escalation from Backup Contributor to cluster-admin. In GCP, the Config Connector add-on permitted unauthorized users to gain Organization Owner status. Despite disclosures, Microsoft silently patched the flaw, while Google did not acknowledge it as a vulnerability. These incidents underscore the persistent risks in cloud identity management and the need for robust security practices.
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