Every CVE Search/ Get API key

CVE-2026-13201

Kubevirt: virt-handler-rhel9: kubevirt: safepath symlink following in virt-handler enables notify socket hijacking and node-level vm disruption

7.3 HighFix available

A flaw was found in KubeVirt's safepath package used by virt-handler. The OpenAtNoFollow function uses O_PATH|O_NOFOLLOW to obtain a file descriptor to a path leaf, but downstream operations resolve the path via /proc/self/fd/N using link-following syscalls. When the leaf is a symlink, the kernel dereferences it, defeating the intended no-follow protection. An attacker with access to a virt-launcher pod can exploit this to redirect virt-handler's IPC socket connections, including the notify socket used for VM domain lifecycle events. By hijacking this socket, the attacker can inject arbitrary domain events into virt-handler, causing it to take incorrect lifecycle actions, corrupt VM state in the Kubernetes API, or crash — resulting in sustained denial of VM management services for all virtual machines on the affected node. Additionally, the same symlink following flaw allows virt-handler to apply file ownership or permission changes to unintended host paths.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
Low
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
None
Integrity
Low
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

0.31%Up 0.2 points since Jun 25, 2026
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 7.3

Kubevirt: virt-handler-rhel9: kubevirt: safepath symlink following in virt-handler enables notify socket hijacking and node-level vm disruption

A flaw was found in KubeVirt's safepath package used by virt-handler. The OpenAtNoFollow function uses O_PATH|O_NOFOLLOW to obtain a file descriptor to a path leaf, but downstream operations resolve the path via /proc/self/fd/N using link-following syscalls. When the leaf is a symlink, the kernel dereferences it, defeating the intended no-follow protection. An attacker with access to a virt-launcher pod can exploit this to redirect virt-handler's IPC socket connections, including the notify socket used for VM domain lifecycle events. By hijacking this socket, the attacker can inject arbitrary domain events into virt-handler, causing it to take incorrect lifecycle actions, corrupt VM state in the Kubernetes API, or crash — resulting in sustained denial of VM management services for all virtual machines on the affected node. Additionally, the same symlink following flaw allows virt-handler to apply file ownership or permission changes to unintended host paths.

Record
CVE-2026-13201
CVSS 3.1
7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:H
Weakness
CWE-61
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-39086 7.3

A flaw was found in KubeVirt's safepath package used by virt-handler. The OpenAtNoFollow function uses O_PATH|O_NOFOLLOW to obtain a file descriptor to a path leaf, but downstream operations resolve the path via /proc/self/fd/N using link-following syscalls. When the leaf is a symlink, the kernel dereferences it, defeating the intended no-follow protection. An attacker with access to a virt-launcher pod can exploit this to redirect virt-handler's IPC socket connections, including the notify socket used for VM domain lifecycle events. By hijacking this socket, the attacker can inject arbitrary domain events into virt-handler, causing it to take incorrect lifecycle actions, corrupt VM state in the Kubernetes API, or crash — resulting in sustained denial of VM management services for all virtual machines on the affected node. Additionally, the same symlink following flaw allows virt-handler to apply file ownership or permission changes to unintended host paths.

Record
EUVD-2026-39086
CVSS 3.1
7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-rcfc-7m3g-h5xh 5.2

A flaw was found in KubeVirt's safepath package. The OpenAtNoFollow function uses O_PATH...

A flaw was found in KubeVirt's safepath package. The OpenAtNoFollow function uses O_PATH|O_NOFOLLOW to obtain a file descriptor to a path leaf, but downstream helpers operate via /proc/self/fd/N using link-following syscalls. When the leaf is a symlink, the kernel dereferences it, defeating the intended no-follow protection. An attacker with access to a virt-launcher pod can exploit this to cause virt-handler to apply file ownership or permission changes to an unintended host path.

Record
GHSA-rcfc-7m3g-h5xh
CVSS 3.1
5.2 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:L
Weakness
CWE-61
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 7.3

A flaw was found in KubeVirt's safepath package used by virt-handler. The OpenAtNoFollow function uses O_PATH|O_NOFOLLOW to obtain a file descriptor to a path leaf, but downstream operations resolve the path via /proc/self/fd/N using link-following syscalls. When the leaf is a symlink, the kernel dereferences it, defeating the intended no-follow protection. An attacker with access to a virt-launcher pod can exploit this to redirect virt-handler's IPC socket connections, including the notify socket used for VM domain lifecycle events. By hijacking this socket, the attacker can inject arbitrary domain events into virt-handler, causing it to take incorrect lifecycle actions, corrupt VM state in the Kubernetes API, or crash — resulting in sustained denial of VM management services for all virtual machines on the affected node. Additionally, the same symlink following flaw allows virt-handler to apply file ownership or permission changes to unintended host paths.

Record
CVE-2026-13201
CVSS 3.1
7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:H
Weakness
CWE-61
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVAZL-91173 No score

CVE-2026-13201 affecting package kubevirt for versions less than 1.8.4-4

A flaw was found in KubeVirt's safepath package used by virt-handler. The OpenAtNoFollow function uses O_PATH|O_NOFOLLOW to obtain a file descriptor to a path leaf, but downstream operations resolve the path via /proc/self/fd/N using link-following syscalls. When the leaf is a symlink, the kernel dereferences it, defeating the intended no-follow protection. An attacker with access to a virt-launcher pod can exploit this to redirect virt-handler's IPC socket connections, including the notify socket used for VM domain lifecycle events. By hijacking this socket, the attacker can inject arbitrary domain events into virt-handler, causing it to take incorrect lifecycle actions, corrupt VM state in the Kubernetes API, or crash — resulting in sustained denial of VM management services for all virtual machines on the affected node. Additionally, the same symlink following flaw allows virt-handler to apply file ownership or permission changes to unintended host paths.

Record
AZL-91173
Updated
2026-11-05
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2026:11392-1 No score

kubevirt1.8-container-disk-1.8.4-3.1 on GA media

These are all security issues fixed in the kubevirt1.8-container-disk-1.8.4-3.1 package on the GA media of openSUSE Tumbleweed.

Record
openSUSE-SU-2026:11392-1
Updated
2026-11-02
Show 4 moreShow less
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2026:11520-1 No score

kubevirt1.9-container-disk-1.9.0-1.1 on GA media

These are all security issues fixed in the kubevirt1.9-container-disk-1.9.0-1.1 package on the GA media of openSUSE Tumbleweed.

Record
openSUSE-SU-2026:11520-1
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2026:21590-1 No score

Security update for kubevirt1.8

This update for kubevirt1.8 fixes the following issues:

Update to version 1.8.4.

Security issues fixed:

  • CVE-2026-13201: virt-handler-rhel9: kubevirt: safepath OpenAtNoFollow symlink following via /proc/self/fd allows host file metadata modification (bsc#1269093).
  • CVE-2026-13622: virt-handler migration proxy follows symlinks and allows container escape to host (bsc#1272840).
  • CVE-2026-25680, CVE-2026-25681, CVE-2026-27136, CVE-2026-42502, CVE-2026-42506: golang.org/x/net/html: multiple issues when parsing HTML files (bsc#1267120).
  • CVE-2026-33814: golang.org/x/net/http2: processing of HTTP/2 SETTINGS frames with a crafted SETTINGS_MAX_FRAME_SIZE can lead to an infinite loop and a denial of service (bsc#1265736).
  • CVE-2026-35469: github.com/moby/spdystream: improper validation of attacker-controlled input in the SPDY/3 frame parser allows for a denial of service via crafted SPDY frames (bsc#1262265).
  • CVE-2026-39821: golang.org/x/net/idna: failure to reject ASCII-only Punycode-encoded labels allows for validation bypass and privilege escalation (bsc#1266575).
  • CVE-2026-39827, CVE-2026-39828, CVE-2026-39829, CVE-2026-39830, CVE-2026-39831, CVE-2026-39832, CVE-2026-39833, CVE-2026-39834, CVE-2026-39835, CVE-2026-42508, CVE-2026-46595, CVE-2026-46597, CVE-2026-46598: golang.org/x/crypto/ssh: multiple issues in x/crypto/ssh (bsc#1266151).
  • CVE-2026-46600: parsing of invalid SVCB or HTTPS RR when the size of a parameter value overflows the message buffer can lead to panic (bsc#1273606).
  • CVE-2026-56852: improper handling of truncated/invalid UTF-8 input can lead to an infinite loop (bsc#1272011).

Other updates and bugfixes:

  • Fix the release manifests' image references (bsc#1272604).
  • Add a libguestfs-tools subpackage.
  • Build with Go >= 1.25 (required by golang.org/x/net 0.55).
  • Version 1.8.4:
    • node-labeller: use new libvirt flags for full feature expansion.
    • Fix gRPC connection leak in GetLauncherClient; clean up ghost launcher record on connection setup failure.
    • api: validate VMI VSOCK CID and checksum status fields as uint32.
    • virt-operator: refine canary flow to fully support out-of-band changes.
    • New virt-api/virt-handler/virt-operator ready and down metrics, alerts and recording rules.
  • Refresh disks-images-provider.yaml to the v1.8.4 image tag.
Record
openSUSE-SU-2026:21590-1
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVSUSE-SU-2026:3480-1 No score

Security update for kubevirt

This update for kubevirt fixes the following issues:

  • Security update correcting a CVE over-claim from the previous update, verified by auditing the fix code actually present in the vendored tree:

    • CVE-2026-39821 (bsc#1266575): the previous entry claimed this fixed by the golang.org/x/net v0.55.0 re-vendor, but 0.55.0's idna fix is compile-time gated on Unicode 16 tables, which only exist for go1.27+ - it is inert in our go1.25 builds, so the claim was incorrect. Re-vendor golang.org/x/net v0.55.0 -> v0.57.0, whose idna package rejects all-ASCII Punycode labels unconditionally; the CVE is now actually fixed.

  • Re-vendor golang.org/x/text v0.37.0 -> v0.40.0: CVE-2026-56852 (bsc#1271661), infinite loop on invalid input in unicode/norm.

  • golang.org/x/crypto v0.52.0 -> v0.54.0 (pulled in by x/net 0.57.0; no additional CVE claims, all previously listed x/crypto fixes remain included).

  • CVE-2026-13201 (bsc#1269093), safepath resolves a path whose last component is a symlink without detecting it, allowing metadata operations via /proc/self/fd to act on the symlink target. Backports of upstream release-1.7 commits 9ecda4ad5e and 1494cee849.

  • x/net 0.57.0 also contains the fix for CVE-2026-46600 (bsc#1272415) in dns/dnsmessage; kubevirt does not vendor that package (not affected), the bump merely rides past it.

Record
SUSE-SU-2026:3480-1
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVSUSE-SU-2026:3630-1 No score

Security update for kubevirt-1.6, virt-api-container-1.6, virt-controller-container-1.6, virt-exportproxy-container-1.6, virt-exportserver-container-1.6, virt-handler-container-1.6, virt-launcher-container-1.6, virt-libguestfs-tools-container-1.6, virt-operator-container-1.6, virt-pr-helper-container-1.6, virt-synchronization-controller-container-1.6

This update for kubevirt-1.6, virt-api-container-1.6, virt-controller-container-1.6, virt-exportproxy-container-1.6, virt-exportserver-container-1.6, virt-handler-container-1.6, virt-launcher-container-1.6, virt-libguestfs-tools-container-1.6, virt-operator-container-1.6, virt-pr-helper-container-1.6, virt-synchronization-controller-container-1.6 fixes the following issues:

  • CVE-2025-47911: golang.org/x/net/html: algorithms that have quadratic complexity when parsing HTML documents allow for denial of service (bsc#1251420).
  • CVE-2025-47914: golang.org/x/crypto/ssh/agent: no validation of message size when processing new identity requests can cause a panic due to an out-of-bounds read (bsc#1254014).
  • CVE-2025-58181: golang.org/x/crypto/ssh: no validation of number of mechanisms in GSSAPI authentication requests can cause unbounded memory consumption (bsc#1253935).
  • CVE-2025-58190: golang.org/x/net/html: excessive memory consumption by html.ParseFragment when processing specially crafted input can lead to a denial of service (bsc#1251615).
  • CVE-2026-13201: virt-handler-rhel9: kubevirt: safepath OpenAtNoFollow symlink following via /proc/self/fd allows host file metadata modification (bsc#1269093).
  • CVE-2026-13622: virt-handler migration proxy follows symlinks and allows container escape to host (bsc#1272840).
  • CVE-2026-25680,CVE-2026-25681,CVE-2026-27136,CVE-2026-42502,CVE-2026-42506: golang.org/x/net/html: multiple issues when parsing HTML files (bsc#1267120).
  • CVE-2026-33814: golang.org/x/net/http2: processing of HTTP/2 SETTINGS frames with a crafted SETTINGS_MAX_FRAME_SIZE can lead to an infinite loop and a denial of service (bsc#1265736).
  • CVE-2026-35469: github.com/moby/spdystream: improper validation of attacker-controlled input in the SPDY/3 frame parser allows for a denial of service via crafted SPDY frames (bsc#1262265).
  • CVE-2026-39821: golang.org/x/net/idna: failure to reject ASCII-only Punycode-encoded labels allows for validation bypass and privilege escalation (bsc#1266575).
  • CVE-2026-46600: parsing of invalid SVCB or HTTPS RR when the size of a parameter value overflows the message buffer can lead to panic (bsc#1273606).
  • CVE-2026-56852: improper handling of truncated/invalid UTF-8 input can lead to an infinite loop (bsc#1272000).

Other updates and bugfixes:

  • Fixed printf-style calls with non-constant format strings (cmd/virt-chroot, tests/) that fail go1.25's vet (toolchain required by the x/net 0.55.0 re-vendor); rewritten with no behavior change.
  • Build with Go >= 1.25 (required by golang.org/x/net 0.55).
Record
SUSE-SU-2026:3630-1
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Show 1 moreShow less

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
kubevirt
Azure Linux:3
 before 1.8.4-4
1.8.4-4
kubevirt
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Containers 15 SP7
From an advisory covering 4 CVEs
 before 1.7.4-150700.3.33.1
1.7.4-150700.3.33.1
kubevirt-1.6
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Containers 15 SP7
From an advisory covering 16 CVEs
 before 1.6.6-150700.15.17.1
1.6.6-150700.15.17.1
kubevirt1.8
openSUSE:Tumbleweed
From an advisory covering 3 CVEs
 before 1.8.4-3.1
1.8.4-3.1
kubevirt1.9
openSUSE:Tumbleweed
From an advisory covering 10 CVEs
 before 1.9.0-1.1
1.9.0-1.1
kubevirt1.8
openSUSE:Leap 16.0
From an advisory covering 25 CVEs
 before 1.8.4-160000.1.1
1.8.4-160000.1.1

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
affected
factsOSV
first indexedCVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2026-13201 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.3) in Kubevirt, published June 24, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.31%, the 23rd percentile. Fixed in kubevirt 1.8.4-4.

References

Show 57 moreShow less
Pages All vulnerabilities Browse Docs Sources Guide Get API key
MoveEnter Open