CVE-2026-23954
Description
Incus is a system container and virtual machine manager. Versions 6.21.0 and below allow a user with the ability to launch a container with a custom image (e.g a member of the ‘incus’ group) to use directory traversal or symbolic links in the templating functionality to achieve host arbitrary file read, and host arbitrary file write. This ultimately results in arbitrary command execution on the host. When using an image with a metadata.yaml containing templates, both the source and target paths are not checked for symbolic links or directory traversal. This can also be exploited in IncusOS. A fix is planned for versions 6.0.6 and 6.21.0, but they have not been released at the time of publication.
Predictions
Heuristic predictions, AS-IS, for prioritization only.
Mitigations
No mitigations published for this CVE yet.
The vendor-content worker queues fetches as references arrive (check back in a few minutes). Or — if you've already worked around this in production — publish your fix to the community-verified tier.
✚ Propose a mitigation on Community → Mitigations published via the community go through AI scoring + 2 human reviewers + 7-day silent objection window before landing here withsource_tier=community-verified.
OS impact
Debian Fixed 4 releases
| Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| trixie | Fixed | 6.0.4-2+deb13u4 |
| sid | Fixed | 6.0.5-8 |
| forky | Fixed | 6.0.5-8 |
| bookworm | Fixed | 5.0.2-5+deb12u3 |
Package impact
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go | github.com/lxc/incus/v6/cmd/incusd | | |
| Go | github.com/lxc/incus | | |
| Go | github.com/lxc/incus/v6 | >=6.1.0 | |
References
- https://github.com/lxc/incus/security/advisories/GHSA-7f67-crqm-jgh7
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-23954
- https://github.com/lxc/incus
- https://github.com/lxc/incus/blob/HEAD/internal/server/instance/drivers/driver_lxc.go#L7215
- https://github.com/lxc/incus/blob/HEAD/internal/server/instance/drivers/driver_lxc.go#L7294
- https://github.com/user-attachments/files/24473599/template_arbitrary_write.sh
- https://github.com/user-attachments/files/24473601/templates_arbitrary_write.patch
- https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2026-23954
Community-verified mitigations for this CVE will appear above when contributors publish them.
Verify integrity in audit chain (admin only). AS-IS.