CVE-2026-23954
Incus container image templating arbitrary host file read and write
- State
- Published
- Severity
- 8.7 High
- Published
- Jan 22, 2026
- Updated
- Jan 26, 2026
- Reserved
- Jan 19, 2026
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.
Scores
| CVSS | Score | Vector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | 8.7 High | CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N | GitHub_M |
Weaknesses
- CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
Affected Products
| Product | Versions |
|---|---|
incuslxc |
|
References
- https://github.com/lxc/incus/security/advisories/GHSA-7f67-crqm-jgh7
- https://github.com/lxc/incus/blob/HEAD/internal/server/instance/drivers/driver_lxc.go#L7215
- https://github.com/lxc/incus/blob/HEAD/internal/server/instance/drivers/driver_lxc.go#L7294
- https://github.com/user-attachments/files/24473599/template_arbitrary_write.sh
- https://github.com/user-attachments/files/24473601/templates_arbitrary_write.patch
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