CVE-2026-63294
Root RCE via image backup.yaml symlink
A link following vulnerability in LXD allows an attacker to achieve root command execution on the host system. During the import or unpacking of crafted image or backup archives, LXD fails to properly validate and confine the backup.yaml file when it exists as a symbolic link. An attacker can exploit this flaw by providing a malicious archive with a symlinked backup.yaml file, causing LXD to process unconfined configuration metadata and execute arbitrary commands with root privileges.
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
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Root RCE via image backup.yaml symlink
A link following vulnerability in LXD allows an attacker to achieve root command execution on the host system. During the import or unpacking of crafted image or backup archives, LXD fails to properly validate and confine the backup.yaml file when it exists as a symbolic link. An attacker can exploit this flaw by providing a malicious archive with a symlinked backup.yaml file, causing LXD to process unconfined configuration metadata and execute arbitrary commands with root privileges.
- Record
CVE-2026-63294- CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-59
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-57538
A link following vulnerability in LXD allows an attacker to achieve root command execution on the host system. During the import or unpacking of crafted image or backup archives, LXD fails to properly validate and confine the backup.yaml file when it exists as a symbolic link. An attacker can exploit this flaw by providing a malicious archive with a symlinked backup.yaml file, causing LXD to process unconfined configuration metadata and execute arbitrary commands with root privileges.
- Record
EUVD-2026-57538- CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
A link following vulnerability in LXD allows an attacker to achieve root command execution on the host system. During the import or unpacking of crafted image or backup archives, LXD fails to properly validate and confine the backup.yaml file when it exists as a symbolic link. An attacker can exploit this flaw by providing a malicious archive with a symlinked backup.yaml file, causing LXD to process unconfined configuration metadata and execute arbitrary commands with root privileges.
- Record
CVE-2026-63294- CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-59
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
Root RCE via image backup.yaml symlink
A link following vulnerability in LXD allows an attacker to achieve root command execution on the host system. During the import or unpacking of crafted image or backup archives, LXD fails to properly validate and confine the backup.yaml file when it exists as a symbolic link. An attacker can exploit this flaw by providing a malicious archive with a symlinked backup.yaml file, causing LXD to process unconfined configuration metadata and execute arbitrary commands with root privileges.
- Record
CVE-2026-63294- CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-59
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2026-63294
A link following vulnerability in LXD allows an attacker to achieve root command execution on the host system. During the import or unpacking of crafted image or backup archives, LXD fails to properly validate and confine the backup.yaml file when it exists as a symbolic link. An attacker can exploit this flaw by providing a malicious archive with a symlinked backup.yaml file, causing LXD to process unconfined configuration metadata and execute arbitrary commands with root privileges.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2026-63294- CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2026-63294
A link following vulnerability in LXD allows an attacker to achieve root command execution on the host system. During the import or unpacking of crafted image or backup archives, LXD fails to properly validate and confine the backup.yaml file when it exists as a symbolic link. An attacker can exploit this flaw by providing a malicious archive with a symlinked backup.yaml file, causing LXD to process unconfined configuration metadata and execute arbitrary commands with root privileges.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2026-63294- CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - 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-2026-63294 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.9) 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 0.88%, the 59th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
github.com/canonical/lxd/security/advisories/GHSA-fv82-v4fj-mm4m
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-63294
security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2026-63294
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-63294
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-63294
Left out here: 26 versions. The JSON record has them.