# CVE-2026-77176: Kata-containers: insufficient validation of createcontainer mount and storage rules in genpolicy

> A malicious host operator can mount arbitrary paths over sensitive host locations in Kata Containers, exposing confidential data or enabling code execution.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **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:** 20 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 26 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-97442, AZL-97479

## What is CVE-2026-77176?

CVE-2026-77176 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4, published on 20 Aug 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A flaw was found in Kata Containers. In configurations utilizing genpolicy for Confidential Containers guest protection, a malicious host operator can exploit insufficient validation of CreateContainer mount and storage rules. This allows them to mount arbitrary container-rootfs paths over sensitive host locations or provision arbitrary content, potentially exposing confidential information or enabling the acceptance of attacker-controlled input.

Weakness: CWE-73 (External Control of File Name or Path)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-77176?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-77176?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-77176 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-77176 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-77176 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-77176 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4, published on 20 Aug 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-2026-77176 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2026-77176/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-77176/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-77176
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-77176
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-77176

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-77176/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.