# CVE-2026-7374: Kubevirt: kubevirt virt-handler: privilege escalation and node compromise via symlink following vulnerability

> An authenticated user can escalate privileges to full node control by exploiting symlink validation flaws in KubeVirt's virt-handler component.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/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:** 26 May 2026
- **Updated:** 10 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-89193, GHSA-7jcp-v9w4-wjmg, GO-2026-5848, MINI-7v9q-f4jr-h4hh, MINI-vf3v-w73q-hh5v, SUSE-SU-2026:2077-1

## What is CVE-2026-7374?

CVE-2026-7374 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Red Hat Container Native Virtualization 4.12, published on 26 May 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A flaw was found in KubeVirt's virt-handler component. This vulnerability allows an authenticated OpenShift user with edit permissions in a single namespace to exploit improper symlink validation when connecting to virtual machine console sockets. By replacing the console socket with a symlink to the host's container runtime (CRI-O) socket, an attacker can hijack virt-handler's privileged connection. This enables the attacker to access any Unix socket on the host, potentially leading to full control of the node and the entire cluster.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-7374?

7 open source packages ship an affected version, including kubevirt.io/kubevirt.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `kubevirt.io/kubevirt` | Go | All versions | 1.6.6, 1.7.4, 1.8.3 |
| `kubevirt.io/kubevirt` | Go | All versions | 1.6.6 |
| `kubevirt.io/kubevirt` | Go | All versions | 1.6.6 |
| `kubevirt.io/kubevirt` | Go | From 1.7.0-alpha.0 | 1.7.4 |
| `kubevirt.io/kubevirt` | Go | From 1.7.0-alpha.0 | 1.7.4 |
| `kubevirt.io/kubevirt` | Go | From 1.8.0-alpha.0 | 1.8.3 |
| `kubevirt.io/kubevirt` | Go | From 1.8.0-alpha.0 | 1.8.3 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-7374?

Upgrade kubevirt.io/kubevirt to a fixed version for your release line: 1.6.6, 1.7.4 or 1.8.3.

## Is CVE-2026-7374 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-7374 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-7374 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-7374 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Red Hat Container Native Virtualization 4.12, published on 26 May 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-2026-7374 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- kubevirt.io/kubevirt (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.6.6, 1.7.4, 1.8.3
- kubevirt.io/kubevirt (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.6.6
- kubevirt.io/kubevirt (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.6.6
- kubevirt.io/kubevirt (Go): affected from 1.7.0-alpha.0; fixed in 1.7.4
- kubevirt.io/kubevirt (Go): affected from 1.7.0-alpha.0; fixed in 1.7.4
- kubevirt.io/kubevirt (Go): affected from 1.8.0-alpha.0; fixed in 1.8.3
- kubevirt.io/kubevirt (Go): affected from 1.8.0-alpha.0; fixed in 1.8.3

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-2026-7374/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-7374/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-7374
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-7374
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-7374

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-7374/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.