# CVE-2026-46448: OpenStack Nova: Nova scheduler hint injection bypasses Placement resource claims and scheduling constraints

> Attackers can create instances without proper resource allocation tracking, potentially bypassing quota enforcement in OpenStack Nova.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:L`)
- **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:** 16 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Jun 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-46448, GHSA-mfg3-p6m3-gjgr, PYSEC-2026-2686, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-46448, USN-8434-1

## What is CVE-2026-46448?

CVE-2026-46448 is a medium-severity vulnerability in OpenStack Nova, published on 16 Jun 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In OpenStack Nova before 33.0.2, the server create API does not strip certain hint data. The resulting instance has no Placement allocation.

Weakness: CWE-669 (Incorrect Resource Transfer Between Spheres)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-46448?

7 open source packages ship an affected version, including nova. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `nova` | PyPI | From 18.0.0 | 31.3.1, 32.2.1, 33.0.2 |
| `nova` | PyPI | From 18.0.0 to 31.3.0 | None |
| `nova` | PyPI | From 18.0.0 to 31.3.0 | None |
| `nova` | PyPI | From 32.0.0 | 32.2.1 |
| `nova` | PyPI | From 32.0.0 | 32.2.1 |
| `nova` | PyPI | From 33.0.0 | 33.0.2 |
| `nova` | PyPI | From 33.0.0 | 33.0.2 |

Products: Openstack Nova.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-46448?

Upgrade nova to a fixed version for your release line: 31.3.1, 32.2.1 or 33.0.2.

## Is CVE-2026-46448 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-46448 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in OpenStack Nova

- [CVE-2017-7214](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-7214/): OpenStack Nova logs sensitive context from notification exceptions (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-17051](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-17051/): OpenStack Nova DoS by rebuilding the same instance with a new image multiple times (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2020-17376](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-17376/): OpenStack Nova Live migration fails to update persistent domain XML (high 8.3)
- [CVE-2017-18191](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-18191/): OpenStack Nova Denial of service attack on the compute host (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2015-3280](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3280/): OpenStack Compute (nova) allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (medium 6.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-46448 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-46448 is a medium-severity vulnerability in OpenStack Nova, published on 16 Jun 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-46448 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- nova (PyPI): affected from 18.0.0; fixed in 31.3.1, 32.2.1, 33.0.2
- nova (PyPI): affected from 18.0.0 up to 31.3.0; no fix listed
- nova (PyPI): affected from 18.0.0 up to 31.3.0; no fix listed
- nova (PyPI): affected from 32.0.0; fixed in 32.2.1
- nova (PyPI): affected from 32.0.0; fixed in 32.2.1
- nova (PyPI): affected from 33.0.0; fixed in 33.0.2
- nova (PyPI): affected from 33.0.0; fixed in 33.0.2

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-2026-46448/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46448/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-46448
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-46448
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-46448

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46448/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.