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Vulnerability record · CVE-2026-23954 · published 22 January 2026

CVE-2026-23954: Linuxcontainers incus path traversal vulnerability

Linuxcontainers · Incus

Incus is a system container and virtual machine manager. Versions 6.21.0 and below allow a user with the ability to launch a container with a custom image (e.g a member of the ‘incus’ group) to use directory traversal or symbolic links in the templating functionality to achieve host arbitrary file read, and host arbitrary file write. This ultimately results in arbitrary command execution on the host. When using an image with a metadata.yaml containing templates, both the source and target paths are not checked for symbolic links or directory traversal. This can also be exploited in IncusOS. A fix is planned for versions 6.0.6 and 6.21.0, but they have not been released at the time of publication.

8.7 CVSS 3.1 High EPSS 0.79% · top 45.4% CWE-22 · Path traversal
8.7CVSS 3.1 base score
0.79%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
1Affected product versions listed by NVD
5References, 2 tagged exploit
17 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

Incus is a system container and virtual machine manager. Versions 6.21.0 and below allow a user with the ability to launch a container with a custom image (e.g a member of the ‘incus’ group) to use directory traversal or symbolic links in the templating functionality to achieve host arbitrary file read, and host arbitrary file write. This ultimately results in arbitrary command execution on the host. When using an image with a metadata.yaml containing templates, both the source and target paths are not checked for symbolic links or directory traversal. This can also be exploited in IncusOS. A fix is planned for versions 6.0.6 and 6.21.0, but they have not been released at the time of publication.

CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N

Affected products

1 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
https://github.com/lxc/incus/blob/HEAD/internal/server/instance/drivers/driver_lxc.go#L7215 Product
https://github.com/lxc/incus/blob/HEAD/internal/server/instance/drivers/driver_lxc.go#L7294 Product
https://github.com/lxc/incus/security/advisories/GHSA-7f67-crqm-jgh7 ExploitVendor Advisory
https://github.com/user-attachments/files/24473599/template_arbitrary_write.sh Exploit
https://github.com/user-attachments/files/24473601/templates_arbitrary_write.patch Patch

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Related vulnerabilities

Same products first, then exploited flaws of the same weakness class.

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2026-23954), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-28). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.