CVE-2026-13218
MEDIUM 4.2A flaw was found in KubeVirt's virt-handler network cache handling. The WriteToCachedFile function writes data to a launcher-rooted path using os.WriteFile and os.Chown without symlink protection. A user with access to the virt-launcher container can plant a symlink at the cache file path, causing virt-handler to follow it and overwrite an arbitrary host file with JSON content and change its ownership.
No known exploitation, public exploit, or elevated probability at this time. Track for changes.
Exploitation likelihood
0.1%chance of exploitation in 30 days · 1st percentile
Impact if exploited
4.2CVSS 3.1 · MEDIUM
- ConfidentialityNone
- IntegrityLow
- AvailabilityLow
What an attacker needs
- ⚠Access: Requires local access to the host
- ⚠Privileges: Requires a low-privilege account
- ✓User interaction: No user interaction needed
- ⚠Complexity: Needs a race window or specific setup
✓ lowers the bar for an attacker · ⚠ raises it
Proof of concept & exploit code
- github-search Search GitHub for public PoC repos
Test against your own equipment
curl -s https://vulnpedia.com/cve/CVE-2026-13218/poc.jsonMachine-readable PoC index for this CVE (for automation).Listed for defensive triage, patch verification, and authorized testing on systems you own. Machine-readable: /cve/CVE-2026-13218/poc.json
Affected
Vendors Red Hat Kubevirt Redhat
Products Red Hat Openshift Virtualization 4 Kubevirt Openshift Virtualization
Weakness (CWE)
- CWE-61: UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:L
Known Affected Software Configurations
| Vendor | Product | Version range |
|---|---|---|
| Kubevirt | Kubevirt | * |
| Redhat | Openshift Virtualization | ≥ 4 and ≤ 4.22.0 |
All CVSS metrics
- MEDIUM 4.2 v3.1 · CNA Primary
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:L - MEDIUM 4.2 v3.1 · NVD Secondary
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:L