Qemu-kvm: qemu-guest-agent: local privilege escalation via symlink attack in guest-ssh-add-authorized-keys
Priority LOW 33CWE-61Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- Required
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 2 fixed, 5 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
A flaw was found in the QEMU Guest Agent (qga). A local unprivileged user can exploit a vulnerability in the guest-ssh-add-authorized-keys command handler by manipulating symbolic links. This can occur either through a deterministic directory-symlink bypass or a Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) file-symlink race. Successful exploitation allows the attacker to gain ownership of arbitrary root-owned files or directories, leading to root access. This vulnerability requires an external management layer (e.g., libvirt) to trigger the affected code path.
Why it matters now
Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00139 3rd percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Red Hat: 2 advisoriesRed Hat: 2 fixed, 5 without a fix
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | — | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | Patch available | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.22 | — | 4.22.9.8.202611032353-0 | Patch available | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | — | — | Not affected | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | — | — | Not affected | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | — | — | Not affected | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux for NVIDIA 26 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 Patch available CNA
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.22 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in 4.22.9.8.202611032353-0 Patch available CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — Not affected CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — Not affected CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — Not affected CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux for NVIDIA 26 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE names CNA · 9
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | 9 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/a:redhat:openshift:4.22::el9 | 4.22 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:10 | 10 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/o:redhat:rhel_els:6 | 6 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/o:redhat:rhel_els:7 | 7 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:8 | 8 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux_nvidia: | — | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/a:redhat:openshift:4 | 4 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/a:redhat:openshift:5 | 5 | — | Red Hat |
- cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream Versions 9 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/a:redhat:openshift:4.22::el9 Versions 4.22 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:10 Versions 10 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/o:redhat:rhel_els:6 Versions 6 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/o:redhat:rhel_els:7 Versions 7 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:8 Versions 8 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux_nvidia: Versions — — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/a:redhat:openshift:4 Versions 4 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/a:redhat:openshift:5 Versions 5 — ·Red Hat
Remediation
Red Hat 2 advisories
- RHSA-2026:95346 Released 2026-11-06 · Red Hat rating CriticalOpenShift Container Platform 4.22.22 bug fix and security update
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.22 rhcos-aarch64-4.22.9.8.202611032353-0, rhcos-ppc64le-4.22.9.8.202611032353-0, rhcos-s390x-4.22.9.8.202611032353-0 +1
- RHSA-2026:88421 Released 2026-10-22 · Red Hat rating Importantqemu-kvm security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) qemu-guest-agent-17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9, qemu-img-17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9, qemu-kvm-17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 +17
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux for NVIDIA 26 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:88421 |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.22 | Fixed | RHSA-2026:95346 |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-12080
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-9xqq-92hv-jj34
- 2026-10-23 Fix available: qemu-kvm@17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 · CNA
- 2026-10-23 1 new reference · CNA
- 2026-10-23 Fix available: RHSA-2026:88421 · Red Hat
- 2026-10-23 Fix available: Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · CNA
- 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-11-06 Fix available: openshift/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-11-06 1 new reference · CNA
- 2026-11-07 Fix available: RHSA-2026:95346 · Red Hat
- 2026-11-07 Fix available: Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.22 · Red Hat
References
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Sources
- CVE-2026-12080 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-12080 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-9xqq-92hv-jj34 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-12080 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences