# CVE-2026-24708: OpenStack Nova calls qemu-img without format restrictions for resize > A malicious QCOW header can cause unsafe image resizing in OpenStack Nova's Flat backend, potentially destroying host data. - **Severity:** High 8.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Any signed-in user - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 18 Feb 2026 - **Updated:** 11 Sep 2026 - **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-24708, DLA-4486-1, DSA-6145-1, GHSA-m4f3-qp2w-gwh6, PYSEC-2026-2685, RHSA-2026:7884, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-24708 ## What is CVE-2026-24708? CVE-2026-24708 is a high-severity vulnerability in OpenStack Nova, published on 18 Feb 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim. ### Official description An issue was discovered in OpenStack Nova before 30.2.2, 31 before 31.2.1, and 32 before 32.1.1. By writing a malicious QCOW header to a root or ephemeral disk and then triggering a resize, a user may convince Nova's Flat image backend to call qemu-img without a format restriction, resulting in an unsafe image resize operation that could destroy data on the host system. Only compute nodes using the Flat image backend (usually configured with use_cow_images=False) are affected. Weakness: CWE-73 (External Control of File Name or Path), CWE-669 (Incorrect Resource Transfer Between Spheres) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-24708? 7 open source packages ship an affected version, including nova and Nova. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `nova` | PyPI | All versions to 30.2.1 | None | | `nova` | PyPI | All versions to 30.2.1 | None | | `nova` | PyPI | From 31.0.0.0rc1 to 31.2.0 | None | | `nova` | PyPI | From 32.0.0.0rc1 to 32.1.0 | None | | `Nova` | PyPI | All versions to 30.2.1 | None | | `Nova` | PyPI | From 31.0.0.0rc1 to 31.2.0 | None | | `Nova` | PyPI | From 32.0.0.0rc1 to 32.1.0 | None | | `openstack-nova` | Red Hat:openstack:18.0::el9 | All versions | 1:27.5.2-18.0.20260312122217.c1c6d67.el9ost | | `openstack-nova-api` | Red Hat:openstack:18.0::el9 | All versions | 1:27.5.2-18.0.20260312122217.c1c6d67.el9ost | | `openstack-nova-common` | Red Hat:openstack:18.0::el9 | All versions | 1:27.5.2-18.0.20260312122217.c1c6d67.el9ost | | `openstack-nova-compute` | Red Hat:openstack:18.0::el9 | All versions | 1:27.5.2-18.0.20260312122217.c1c6d67.el9ost | | `openstack-nova-conductor` | Red Hat:openstack:18.0::el9 | All versions | 1:27.5.2-18.0.20260312122217.c1c6d67.el9ost | | `openstack-nova-migration` | Red Hat:openstack:18.0::el9 | All versions | 1:27.5.2-18.0.20260312122217.c1c6d67.el9ost | | `openstack-nova-novncproxy` | Red Hat:openstack:18.0::el9 | All versions | 1:27.5.2-18.0.20260312122217.c1c6d67.el9ost | | `openstack-nova-scheduler` | Red Hat:openstack:18.0::el9 | All versions | 1:27.5.2-18.0.20260312122217.c1c6d67.el9ost | | `openstack-nova-serialproxy` | Red Hat:openstack:18.0::el9 | All versions | 1:27.5.2-18.0.20260312122217.c1c6d67.el9ost | | `openstack-nova-spicehtml5proxy` | Red Hat:openstack:18.0::el9 | All versions | 1:27.5.2-18.0.20260312122217.c1c6d67.el9ost | | `python3-nova` | Red Hat:openstack:18.0::el9 | All versions | 1:27.5.2-18.0.20260312122217.c1c6d67.el9ost | ## How do I fix CVE-2026-24708? Upgrade to a fixed version. ## Is CVE-2026-24708 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-24708 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2026-24708 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2026-24708 is a high-severity vulnerability in OpenStack Nova, published on 18 Feb 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-24708 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected packages and fixed versions: - nova (PyPI): affected all versions up to 30.2.1; no fix listed - nova (PyPI): affected all versions up to 30.2.1; no fix listed - nova (PyPI): affected from 31.0.0.0rc1 up to 31.2.0; no fix listed - nova (PyPI): affected from 32.0.0.0rc1 up to 32.1.0; no fix listed - Nova (PyPI): affected all versions up to 30.2.1; no fix listed - Nova (PyPI): affected from 31.0.0.0rc1 up to 31.2.0; no fix listed - Nova (PyPI): affected from 32.0.0.0rc1 up to 32.1.0; no fix listed Task: 1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies. 2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it. 3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead. 4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why. 5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing. Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24708/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24708/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-24708 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-24708 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-24708 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24708/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.