Arbitrary file write on LXD host via symlink in migration stream
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.
Summary
Improper link resolution in the migration receive path in Canonical LXD versions 4.0 and later (fixed in 4.0.14, 5.0.10, 5.21.8 and 6.10) on Linux allows an authenticated client that can create instances or custom storage volumes in a project, or a malicious migration source server, to write attacker-controlled files to arbitrary paths on the target host as root, leading to full host compromise. The attacker does this with a crafted rsync or btrfs send stream that plants a symlink in the transferred volume, such as rootfs or root.img, and then writes through it.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canonical | LXD | 4.0.0 to before 4.0.14; 5.0.0 to before 5.0.10; 5.21.0 to before 5.21.8; 6.0 to before 6.10 | 4.0.14, 5.0.10, 5.21.8, 6.10 | Patch available | CNA |
- LXD VendorCanonical Affected 4.0.0 to before 4.0.14; 5.0.0 to before 5.0.10; 5.21.0 to before 5.21.8; 6.0 to before 6.10 Fixed in 4.0.14, 5.0.10, 5.21.8, 6.10 Patch available CNA
Remediation
- Fix · CNA LXD (Canonical) Fixed in 4.0.14, 5.0.10, 5.21.8, 6.10
Fixed in the same release
Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.
- Release ·
Canonical LXD 4.0.14, 5.0.10 and 2 more versions
4 records Highest priority Priority HIGH 2 HIGH, 2 MEDIUM
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2026-58681 Path traversal via Btrfs optimized-backup subvolumes[].path enables root file/dir manipulation in LXDPriority HIGH 76
- TI-2026-58518 Path traversal in LXD btrfs storage driver allows arbitrary file deletion and write on host as rootPriority HIGH 74
- TI-2026-59106 CLI Path Traversal via Content-Disposition in LXD Image Export/CopyPriority MEDIUM 53
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-87799
References
More Canonical vulnerabilities
- TI-2020-09349 An issue was discovered in SaltStack Salt before 2019.2.4 and 3000 before 3000.2. KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2020-05854 smtp_mailaddr in smtp_session.c in OpenSMTPD 6.6, as used in OpenBSD 6.6 and other… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2020-01431 Netlogon Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2019-12627 Exim 4.92 through 4.92.2 allows remote code execution, a different vulnerability than… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2019-08259 Underflow in PHP-FPM can lead to RCE KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2019-07471 OS command injection in exim KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences