CVE-2026-23954
January 22, 2026
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.
Affected Packages
https://github.com/lxc/incus.git (GITHUB):
Affected version(s) >=v6.1.0 <v6.21.0Fix Suggestion:
Update to version v6.21.0Related Resources (7)
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Contact UsCVSS v4
Base Score:
9.3
Attack Vector
ADJACENT
Attack Complexity
LOW
Attack Requirements
NONE
Privileges Required
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Vulnerable System Confidentiality
HIGH
Vulnerable System Integrity
HIGH
Vulnerable System Availability
NONE
Subsequent System Confidentiality
HIGH
Subsequent System Integrity
HIGH
Subsequent System Availability
NONE
CVSS v3
Base Score:
8.7
Attack Vector
ADJACENT
Attack Complexity
LOW
Privileges Required
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
CHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
NONE
Weakness Type (CWE)
Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
EPSS
Base Score:
0.05