Incus nil-pointer dereference in custom volume import allows denial of service
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-476.
Summary
Incus is a system container and virtual machine manager. In versions before 7.0.0, missing validation logic in the storage volume import logic allows an authenticated user with access to the storage volume feature to cause the Incus daemon to crash. The custom volume backup import subsystem contains a nil-pointer dereference vulnerability during import operations. In the snapshot import loop, the daemon iterates over entries from `srcBackup.Config.VolumeSnapshots` and assumes that each slice element is initialized, then dereferences fields such as `Name`, `Config`, `Description`, `CreatedAt`, and `ExpiresAt` without first validating the element itself. Because the yaml unmarshaler accepts explicit null array elements from an attacker-controlled index.yaml and converts them into nil pointers inside the slice, an attacker can supply a backup archive containing a null entry in the volume_snapshots array. This causes a nil-pointer dereference during custom volume import and terminates the daemon, resulting in denial of service on the affected node. Repeated use of this issue can be used to keep Incus offline, causing a denial of service. This issue is fixed in version 7.0.0.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
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 7.0.0 | 7.0.0 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | github.com/lxc/incus/v6/cmd/incusd (Go) | before 7.0.0 | 7.0.0 | Patch available | GHSA-r7w7-mmxr-47r9 |
- incus Vendorlxc Affected before 7.0.0 Fixed in 7.0.0 Patch available CNA
- github.com/lxc/incus/v6/cmd/incusd (Go) Vendor— Affected before 7.0.0 Fixed in 7.0.0 Patch available GHSA-r7w7-mmxr-47r9
Remediation
- Fix · CNA incus (lxc) Fixed in 7.0.0
- Fix · GHSA-r7w7-mmxr-47r9 github.com/lxc/incus/v6/cmd/incusd (Go) Fixed in 7.0.0 Advisory →
Vendor assessments
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-40197
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-r7w7-mmxr-47r9
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-2026-40197 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-40197 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-r7w7-mmxr-47r9 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-40197 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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