Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A user with limited privileges could abuse a crafted Incus image to write attacker-controlled content onto the host and potentially execute commands. Successful exploitation could compromise the host and workloads it manages. Incus versions earlier than 7.2.0 are affected.
Executive priority
Treat this as an immediate patching priority for internet-accessible, shared, or untrusted-tenant Incus environments. The vulnerability crosses the container boundary and may expose the host and other workloads. Restrict exec API access while upgrades and compromise checks are completed.
Technical view
The exec endpoint’s `record-output` feature writes stdout and stderr beneath an instance’s `exec-output` directory. Before 7.2.0, a crafted image could make that directory a symlink, redirecting `exec_UUID.stdout` and `exec_UUID.stderr` to host locations. Attacker-controlled stdout enables arbitrary file content and may lead to command execution. This is classified as CWE-73.
Likely exposure
Exposure exists on Incus deployments earlier than 7.2.0 where an attacker can invoke the instance exec endpoint and supply or control the crafted instance image conditions. The CVSS vector indicates network access, low privileges, no user interaction, and impact crossing the instance-to-host security boundary.
Exploitation context
The supplied sources do not establish active exploitation, inclusion in CISA KEV, or availability of a public exploit. However, the published advisory describes a low-complexity path from limited privileges to host-level file write and possible command execution, making vulnerable deployments urgent to remediate.
Researcher notes
The decisive condition is symlink handling for an instance-controlled `exec-output` directory during recorded exec operations. The `.stdout` output can contain attacker-controlled content, supporting arbitrary host file writes and potential command execution. The bundle does not provide affected configuration nuances, indicators of compromise, or evidence of exploitation beyond the vendor-described behavior.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade every affected Incus deployment to version 7.2.0 or later.
- Until upgraded, restrict the instance exec API to trusted administrators.
- Review the vendor advisory for deployment-specific precautions or backport guidance.
- Investigate affected hosts for unexpected `exec-output` symlinks, files, or host-level changes.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Incus versions and identify every deployment running a release earlier than 7.2.0.
- Confirm remediated hosts report Incus version 7.2.0 or later.
- Review retained API and instance logs for unusual `record-output` activity.
- Perform host integrity checks around unexpected files or configuration changes associated with affected instances.
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-2026-48750 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-73hr-m85f-64v9CVE 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.