Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Incus versions before 7.2.0 can let a specially crafted image read or alter arbitrary files on the host. This crosses the expected isolation boundary and could ultimately enable command execution, putting host systems and workloads at serious risk.
Executive priority
Treat this as an immediate patching priority for exposed Incus hosts. Arbitrary host file access can undermine isolation, expose sensitive information, alter system state, and potentially enable command execution. Investigate vulnerable hosts that processed untrusted images.
Technical view
A malicious image can exploit a rootfs symlink condition to perform arbitrary host file reads and writes. The issue is classified as CWE-73 and scored CVSS 9.9 because exploitation is low-complexity, requires limited privileges, needs no user interaction, and can severely affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Likely exposure
Exposure applies to Incus versions earlier than 7.2.0, particularly where an attacker or untrusted party can provide specially crafted images. The supplied sources do not identify specific operating systems, distributions, configurations, or confirmed compromised deployments.
Exploitation context
The CVE is not listed as KEV in the supplied bundle, and no provided source confirms active exploitation. Exploitation requires a malicious image and limited privileges according to the CVSS vector. Successful abuse may permit arbitrary host file access and possibly command execution.
Researcher notes
The reported primitive is host arbitrary file read and write through a rootfs symlink in a malicious image. The supplied evidence does not describe affected code paths, exploit reliability, forensic indicators, backports, or confirmed attacks. Consult the vendor advisory for technical updates.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade Incus to version 7.2.0 or later, which the advisory identifies as fixing the vulnerability.
- Until upgraded, restrict the ability to supply or use untrusted Incus images.
- Check the vendor advisory for backports or distribution-specific remediation guidance.
- Prioritize hosts that process images from users or sources with limited trust.
Validation and detection
- Inventory all Incus installations and identify versions earlier than 7.2.0.
- Confirm remediated installations report Incus 7.2.0 or later.
- Review image provenance and access records for use of untrusted or specially crafted images.
- Examine host integrity and relevant logs where vulnerable systems processed untrusted images.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-73: File access and web shell behavior lookup
File traversal and upload weaknesses can lead teams to review file, web shell, execution, and collection telemetry. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupFile access behavior lookup
The CVE wording references file access or upload behavior, so file telemetry and web shell review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupContainer behavior lookup
The affected technology mentions containers, so container-specific ATT&CK technique review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2026-48749 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9.9 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H3.16GitHub_MVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
9.9CriticalVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/lxc/incus/security/advisories/GHSA-2q3f-q5pq-g8wvCVE reference, GitHub_M · x_refsource_CONFIRM
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
External Control of File Name or Path
External Control of File Name or Path represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.