Abitrary file write through systemd-creds option
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub.
Summary
Incus is a system container and virtual machine manager. Incus instances have an option to provide credentials to systemd in the guest. For containers, this is handled through a shared directory. Prior to version 6.23.0, an attacker can set a configuration key named something like `systemd.credential.../../../../../../root/.bashrc` to cause Incus to write outside of the `credentials` directory associated with the container. This makes use of the fact that the Incus syntax for such credentials is `systemd.credential.XYZ` where `XYZ` can itself contain more periods. While it's not possible to read any data this way, it's possible to write to arbitrary files as root, enabling both privilege escalation and denial of service attacks. Version 6.23.0 fixes the issue.
Why it matters now
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| lxc | incus | before 6.23.0 | 6.23.0 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | github.com/lxc/incus/v6 (Go) | before 6.23.0 | 6.23.0 | Patch available | GHSA-q4q8-7f2j-9h9f |
- incus Vendorlxc Affected before 6.23.0 Fixed in 6.23.0 Patch available CNA
- github.com/lxc/incus/v6 (Go) Vendor— Affected before 6.23.0 Fixed in 6.23.0 Patch available GHSA-q4q8-7f2j-9h9f
Remediation
- Fix · CNA incus (lxc) Fixed in 6.23.0
- Fix · GHSA-q4q8-7f2j-9h9f github.com/lxc/incus/v6 (Go) Fixed in 6.23.0 Advisory →
Vendor assessments
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-33945
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-q4q8-7f2j-9h9f
References
More lxc Incus vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-19296 Incus container image templating arbitrary host file read and write CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.7
- TI-2026-19295 Incus container environment configuration newline injection CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.7
- TI-2025-39899 Incus vulnerable to local privilege escalation through custom storage volumes CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.6
- TI-2026-29045 Incus out-of-bounds panic in snapshot metadata handling allows denial of service CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.1
- TI-2026-29009 Incus nil-pointer dereference in storage bucket import allows denial of service CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.1
- TI-2026-26122 Incus vulnerable to denial of source through crafted bucket backup file CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
Sources
- CVE-2026-33945 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-33945 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-q4q8-7f2j-9h9f · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-33945 · 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