CVE-2026-16033
Arbitrary file read+write on host via templates/ symlink in malicious image
A path traversal vulnerability in LXD allows an attacker to achieve arbitrary host file read or unconstrained file creation. When processing image metadata templates, LXD fails to properly sanitize or restrict template file paths from escaping the instance templates directory (specifically affecting virtual machine / QEMU driver execution paths). An attacker can exploit this flaw by providing a crafted image archive with malicious template directives containing path traversal sequences, causing LXD to access or write files outside the intended template directory on the host system.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
8.5
Arbitrary file read+write on host via templates/ symlink in malicious image
A path traversal vulnerability in LXD allows an attacker to achieve arbitrary host file read or unconstrained file creation. When processing image metadata templates, LXD fails to properly sanitize or restrict template file paths from escaping the instance templates directory (specifically affecting virtual machine / QEMU driver execution paths). An attacker can exploit this flaw by providing a crafted image archive with malicious template directives containing path traversal sequences, causing LXD to access or write files outside the intended template directory on the host system.
- Record
CVE-2026-16033- CVSS 3.1
- 8.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-57547
8.5
A path traversal vulnerability in LXD allows an attacker to achieve arbitrary host file read or unconstrained file creation. When processing image metadata templates, LXD fails to properly sanitize or restrict template file paths from escaping the instance templates directory (specifically affecting virtual machine / QEMU driver execution paths). An attacker can exploit this flaw by providing a crafted image archive with malicious template directives containing path traversal sequences, causing LXD to access or write files outside the intended template directory on the host system.
- Record
EUVD-2026-57547- CVSS 3.1
- 8.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
8.5
A path traversal vulnerability in LXD allows an attacker to achieve arbitrary host file read or unconstrained file creation. When processing image metadata templates, LXD fails to properly sanitize or restrict template file paths from escaping the instance templates directory (specifically affecting virtual machine / QEMU driver execution paths). An attacker can exploit this flaw by providing a crafted image archive with malicious template directives containing path traversal sequences, causing LXD to access or write files outside the intended template directory on the host system.
- Record
CVE-2026-16033- CVSS 3.1
- 8.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
8.5
Arbitrary file read+write on host via templates/ symlink in malicious image
A path traversal vulnerability in LXD allows an attacker to achieve arbitrary host file read or unconstrained file creation. When processing image metadata templates, LXD fails to properly sanitize or restrict template file paths from escaping the instance templates directory (specifically affecting virtual machine / QEMU driver execution paths). An attacker can exploit this flaw by providing a crafted image archive with malicious template directives containing path traversal sequences, causing LXD to access or write files outside the intended template directory on the host system.
- Record
CVE-2026-16033- CVSS 3.1
- 8.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2026-16033
8.5
A path traversal vulnerability in LXD allows an attacker to achieve arbitrary host file read or unconstrained file creation. When processing image metadata templates, LXD fails to properly sanitize or restrict template file paths from escaping the instance templates directory (specifically affecting virtual machine / QEMU driver execution paths). An attacker can exploit this flaw by providing a crafted image archive with malicious template directives containing path traversal sequences, causing LXD to access or write files outside the intended template directory on the host system.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2026-16033- CVSS 3.1
- 8.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2026-16033
8.5
A path traversal vulnerability in LXD allows an attacker to achieve arbitrary host file read or unconstrained file creation. When processing image metadata templates, LXD fails to properly sanitize or restrict template file paths from escaping the instance templates directory (specifically affecting virtual machine / QEMU driver execution paths). An attacker can exploit this flaw by providing a crafted image archive with malicious template directives containing path traversal sequences, causing LXD to access or write files outside the intended template directory on the host system.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2026-16033- CVSS 3.1
- 8.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
lxdDebian:12 |
All versions, plus listed versions 5.0.2+git20231211.1364ae4-15.0.2+git20231211.1364ae4-25.0.2+git20231211.1364ae4-35.0.2+git20231211.1364ae4-45.0.2+git20231211.1364ae4-5 Show 12 moreShow less5.0.2+git20231211.1364ae4-65.0.2+git20231211.1364ae4-75.0.2+git20231211.1364ae4-85.0.2+git20231211.1364ae4-95.0.2-55.0.2-5+deb12u15.0.2-5+deb12u25.0.2-5+deb12u35.0.2-5+deb12u45.0.2-5+deb12u55.0.2-5+deb12u65.0.2-6 |
None known |
lxdDebian:13 |
All versions, plus listed versions 5.0.2+git20231211.1364ae4-95.0.2+git20231211.1364ae4-9+deb13u15.0.2+git20231211.1364ae4-9+deb13u25.0.2+git20231211.1364ae4-9+deb13u35.0.2+git20231211.1364ae4-9+deb13u45.0.2+git20231211.1364ae4-9+deb13u55.0.2+git20231211.1364ae4-9+deb13u65.0.2+git20231211.1364ae4-9+deb13u7 |
None known |
lxdUbuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.20-0ubuntu40.21-0ubuntu30.21-0ubuntu50.22-0ubuntu10.22-0ubuntu2 Show 45 moreShow less0.23-0ubuntu10.23-0ubuntu20.23-0ubuntu30.24-0ubuntu20.24-0ubuntu30.24-0ubuntu40.25-0ubuntu10.26-0ubuntu20.26-0ubuntu30.27-0ubuntu10.27-0ubuntu22.0.0~beta1-0ubuntu32.0.0~beta1-0ubuntu42.0.0~beta2-0ubuntu12.0.0~beta2-0ubuntu22.0.0~beta3-0ubuntu12.0.0~beta3-0ubuntu22.0.0~beta3-0ubuntu32.0.0~beta3-0ubuntu42.0.0~beta4-0ubuntu12.0.0~beta4-0ubuntu22.0.0~beta4-0ubuntu32.0.0~beta4-0ubuntu42.0.0~beta4-0ubuntu52.0.0~beta4-0ubuntu62.0.0~beta4-0ubuntu72.0.0~rc1-0ubuntu12.0.0~rc1-0ubuntu22.0.0~rc1-0ubuntu32.0.0~rc2-0ubuntu22.0.0~rc2-0ubuntu32.0.0~rc3-0ubuntu12.0.0~rc3-0ubuntu22.0.0~rc3-0ubuntu32.0.0~rc3-0ubuntu42.0.0~rc4-0ubuntu12.0.0~rc5-0ubuntu12.0.0~rc6-0ubuntu12.0.0~rc6-0ubuntu22.0.0~rc7-0ubuntu12.0.0~rc7-0ubuntu22.0.0~rc8-0ubuntu12.0.0~rc8-0ubuntu22.0.0~rc8-0ubuntu32.0.0~rc8-0ubuntu5 |
None known |
lxdUbuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 2.18-0ubuntu62.19-0ubuntu12.20-0ubuntu32.20-0ubuntu42.21-0ubuntu1 Show 18 moreShow less2.21-0ubuntu22.21-0ubuntu32.21-0ubuntu43.0.0~beta2-0ubuntu33.0.0~beta3-0ubuntu33.0.0~beta5-0ubuntu23.0.0~beta7-0ubuntu13.0.0-0ubuntu13.0.0-0ubuntu23.0.0-0ubuntu33.0.0-0ubuntu43.0.1-0ubuntu1~18.04.13.0.2-0ubuntu1~18.04.13.0.3-0ubuntu1~18.04.13.0.3-0ubuntu1~18.04.23.0.3-0ubuntu1~18.04.2+esm13.0.3-0ubuntu1~18.04.2+esm23.0.3-0ubuntu1~18.04.2+esm3 |
None known |
lxdUbuntu:20.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1:0.71:0.81:0.91:0.10 |
None known |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-16033 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.5) in Canonical Lxd, published August 12, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.47%, the 40th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
github.com/canonical/lxd/security/advisories/GHSA-9hcm-hxh5-7xxh
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/16xxx/CVE-2026-16033.json
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-16033
github.com/canonical/lxd
security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2026-16033
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-16033
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-16033
Left out here: 26 versions. The JSON record has them.