Kubevirt: kubevirt virt-handler: privilege escalation and node compromise via symlink following vulnerability
Exploitation and risk
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cve-program · CVE-2026-7374
PublishedA flaw was found in KubeVirt's virt-handler component. This vulnerability allows an authenticated OpenShift user with edit permissions in a single namespace to exploit improper symlink validation when connecting to virtual machine console sockets. By replacing the console socket with a symlink to the host's container runtime (CRI-O) socket, an attacker can hijack virt-handler's privileged connection. This enables the attacker to access any Unix socket on the host, potentially leading to full control of the node and the entire cluster.
- Source published
- 26 May 2026 13:14:53 UTC
- Source modified
- 10 Sep 2026 12:05:01 UTC
- Saved here
- 23 Oct 2026 15:48:27 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
euvd · EUVD-2026-31824
PublishedA flaw was found in KubeVirt's virt-handler component. This vulnerability allows an authenticated OpenShift user with edit permissions in a single namespace to exploit improper symlink validation when connecting to virtual machine console sockets. By replacing the console socket with a symlink to the host's container runtime (CRI-O) socket, an attacker can hijack virt-handler's privileged connection. This enables the attacker to access any Unix socket on the host, potentially leading to full control of the node and the entire cluster.
Additional publisher context
EUVD source date text has no stated timezone and is retained without inventing a UTC instant. Related bulletin membership is not an alias, common cause or applicability claim. A missing vector with a zero score is treated as unrated. Complete vendor/product and underlying source evidence remains in the original JSON.
Original publisher date fields
datePublished: May 26, 2026, 1:14:53 PM
dateUpdated: Sep 10, 2026, 12:05:01 PM
13 related source bulletins · separate from aliases
RHSA-2026:20736: Red Hat Security Advisory: OpenShift Virtualization v4.18 Images
CVE-2026-7374
SUSE-SU-2026:2077-1: Security update for kubevirt
CVE-2026-7374
msrc_CVE-2026-7374: Kubevirt: kubevirt virt-handler: privilege escalation and node compromise via symlink following vulnerability
CVE-2026-7374
RHSA-2026:20763: Red Hat Security Advisory: OpenShift Virtualization v4.17 Images
CVE-2026-7374
RHSA-2026:20890: Red Hat Security Advisory: OpenShift Virtualization v4.14 Images
CVE-2026-7374
RHSA-2026:20782: Red Hat Security Advisory: OpenShift Virtualization v4.20 Images
CVE-2026-7374
RHSA-2026:20886: Red Hat Security Advisory: OpenShift Virtualization v4.13 Images
CVE-2026-7374
RHSA-2026:20975: Red Hat Security Advisory: OpenShift Virtualization v4.16 Images
CVE-2026-7374
RHSA-2026:20866: Red Hat Security Advisory: OpenShift Virtualization v4.15 Images
CVE-2026-7374
WID-SEC-W-2026-1680: Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization: Schwachstelle ermöglicht Privilegieneskalation
CVE-2026-7374
RHSA-2026:20720: Red Hat Security Advisory: OpenShift Virtualization v4.21 Images
CVE-2026-7374
RHSA-2026:20767: Red Hat Security Advisory: OpenShift Virtualization v4.19 Images
CVE-2026-7374
RHSA-2026:20825: Red Hat Security Advisory: OpenShift Virtualization v4.12 Images
CVE-2026-7374
- Source published
- May 26, 2026, 1:14:53 PM (timezone not stated)
- Source modified
- Sep 10, 2026, 12:05:01 PM (timezone not stated)
- Saved here
- 14 Nov 2026 07:10:23 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
nvd · CVE-2026-7374
PublishedA flaw was found in KubeVirt's virt-handler component. This vulnerability allows an authenticated OpenShift user with edit permissions in a single namespace to exploit improper symlink validation when connecting to virtual machine console sockets. By replacing the console socket with a symlink to the host's container runtime (CRI-O) socket, an attacker can hijack virt-handler's privileged connection. This enables the attacker to access any Unix socket on the host, potentially leading to full control of the node and the entire cluster.
Additional publisher context
NVD analysis and CPE criteria are source context, not proof that a package or your environment is affected. Complete affected data, logical configurations and SSVC are retained in the original JSON.
Source analysis status: Awaiting Analysis
Weakness classifications: CWE-59
Original publisher date fields
published: 2026-05-26T14:16:40.717
lastModified: 2026-09-10T13:20:31.720
- Source published
- 26 May 2026 14:16:40 UTC
- Source modified
- 10 Sep 2026 13:20:31 UTC
- Saved here
- 25 Oct 2026 15:19:09 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
CVSS 3.1 · 0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c · Secondary · 9.9 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
osv · GHSA-7jcp-v9w4-wjmg
PublishedA flaw was found in KubeVirt's virt-handler component. This vulnerability allows an authenticated OpenShift user with edit permissions in a single namespace to exploit improper symlink validation when connecting to virtual machine console sockets. By replacing the console socket with a symlink to the host's container runtime (CRI-O) socket, an attacker can hijack virt-handler's privileged connection. This enables the attacker to access any Unix socket on the host, potentially leading to full control of the node and the entire cluster.
- Source published
- 26 May 2026 15:32:10 UTC
- Source modified
- 10 Sep 2026 03:50:46 UTC
- Saved here
- 24 Oct 2026 13:19:41 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
osv · GO-2026-5848
PublishedKubeVirt has a Link Following vulnerability in kubevirt.io/kubevirt
- Source published
- 7 Jul 2026 15:26:32 UTC
- Source modified
- 7 Jul 2026 16:01:34 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.