High severity · published Jun 24, 2026
CVE-2026-13201
Kubevirt: virt-handler-rhel9: kubevirt: safepath symlink following in virt-handler enables notify socket hijacking and node-level vm disruption
7.3
CVSS
0.3%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
A flaw was found in KubeVirt's safepath package used by virt-handler. The OpenAtNoFollow function uses O_PATH|O_NOFOLLOW to obtain a file descriptor to a path leaf, but downstream operations resolve the path via /proc/self/fd/N using link-following syscalls. When the leaf is a symlink, the kernel dereferences it, defeating the intended no-follow protection. An attacker with access to a virt-launcher pod can exploit this to redirect virt-handler's IPC socket connections, including the notify socket used for VM domain lifecycle events. By hijacking this socket, the attacker can inject arbitrary domain events into virt-handler, causing it to take incorrect lifecycle actions, corrupt VM state in the Kubernetes API, or crash — resulting in sustained denial of VM management services for all virtual machines on the affected node. Additionally, the same symlink following flaw allows virt-handler to apply file ownership or permission changes to unintended host paths.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:H
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
Low
Availability
High
Scope
Changed
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.3% · higher than 23% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
RH
Red Hat Container Native Virtualization 4.12 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: vendor
RH
Red Hat Container Native Virtualization 4.13 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: vendor
RH
Red Hat Container Native Virtualization 4.14 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: vendor
RH
Red Hat Container Native Virtualization 4.15 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: vendor
RH
Red Hat Container Native Virtualization 4.16 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: vendor
RH
Red Hat Container Native Virtualization 4.17 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: vendor
RH
Red Hat Container Native Virtualization 4.18 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: vendor
RH
Red Hat Container Native Virtualization 4.19 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: vendor
RH
Red Hat Container Native Virtualization 4.20 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: vendor
RH
Red Hat Container Native Virtualization 4.21 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: vendor
RH
Red Hat Container Native Virtualization 4.22 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: vendor
KU
Kubevirt · Kubevirt
All versions, or not specified · source: NVD
Affected product
RH
Red Hat Container Native Virtualization 4.12
Red Hat
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-13201
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-13201
vendor-advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:51031
vendor-advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:53655
vendor-advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:53671
vendor-advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:53684
vendor-advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:53721
vendor-advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:53728
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