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FreeBSD EUVDEUVD-2026-101866

| CVE-2026-101305 HIGH
Improper Check for Dropped Privileges (CWE-273)
2026-10-15 freebsd GHSA-crp4-cfvg-6vr3
8.8
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: freebsd
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Gain code execution inside jail
  2. Delivery
    Obtain directory FD passed from another jail
  3. Exploit
    renameat(2) bypasses FD_RESOLVE_BENEATH
  4. Execution
    Relocate directory outside jail root
  5. Persist
    fchdir(2) into escaped directory
  6. Impact
    Read/write host filesystem beyond jail

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V8 - Authorization Privilege drop verification
Exploitation Conditions

Exploitation requires: (1) attacker-controlled code already running inside a FreeBSD jail; (2) that jailed process must have received a directory file descriptor originating from another jail; and (3) the referenced directory must reside on a filesystem that is also reachable from the exploiting jail's root. Limiting factors that reduce real-world risk: it is not remotely exploitable (local in-jail execution is a prerequisite), the cross-jail descriptor-passing arrangement is a non-default/specialized deployment pattern, and the shared-filesystem reachability requirement further narrows applicability. Only patched releases (15.0-RELEASE p14, 14.5-RELEASE p1, 14.4-RELEASE p10, 15.1-RELEASE p4 and later) enforce FD_RESOLVE_BENEATH.

Impact

The input assigns CVSS 8.8 with AV:N (network) and AC:L, but the description describes a purely local jail-escape primitive: a process already executing inside a FreeBSD jail must receive a directory file descriptor from another jail and then abuse renameat(2)/fchdir(2). The attack vector is therefore local, not network - CVSS AV:N appears incorrect and should be verified against the FreeBSD advisory; this materially inflates the published score. Supporting signals point to modest real-world risk: EPSS is low at 0.18% (7th percentile), there is no CISA KEV listing (not actively exploited), and no public exploit identified at time of analysis. The CWE-273 (improper privilege/confinement handling) and the high C/I/A impacts are credible because a successful escape grants access to the host filesystem beyond the jail root. Net assessment: this is a genuine, impactful sandbox-confinement bypass for multi-tenant FreeBSD jail deployments and should be patched, but it is NOT an opportunistic, widely-exploitable network bug - the AV:N label overstates urgency, and the specific precondition (a directory FD passed in from another jail on a shared filesystem) makes it a targeted, configuration-dependent issue rather than a mass-exploitation threat.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

In a multi-tenant FreeBSD host, an attacker controlling a process in one jail obtains a directory file descriptor that was passed in from another jail (e.g., via a shared descriptor-passing mechanism) on a filesystem also mounted under the jail root. Because renameat(2) does not enforce FD_RESOLVE_BENEATH, the attacker renames/relocates that directory outside the jail's confined subtree and then uses fchdir(2) to step into it, escaping the jail's filesystem-root restriction and reaching host files. No public exploit code is identified at time of analysis, and exploitation requires local code execution already inside a jail.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
No patch listed yet 0.2% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Oct 16, 2026

FreeBSD jail escape allows a local attacker with code execution inside a jail to break out of the jail's filesystem root restriction by abusing renameat(2) and fchdir(2) when the process has received a directory file descriptor from another jail. This requires a specialized cross-jail file descriptor passing setup and the target directory to reside on a filesystem reachable from the exploiting jail's root, making exploitation non-trivial and limited to specific configurations. No public exploit identified at time of analysis, and the EPSS score is 0.18% (7th percentile), indicating a low likelihood of exploitation.

RemediationAI

Vendor-released patch: FreeBSD 15.0-RELEASE p14, 14.5-RELEASE p1, 14.4-RELEASE p10, and 15.1-RELEASE p4 enforce FD_RESOLVE_BENEATH. Upgrade to these or later versions. As a workaround, avoid passing directory file descriptors between jails and ensure that jails do not share filesystems that could be reached from a jail's root, though these measures may break legitimate cross-jail interactions. Refer to the FreeBSD advisory at https://security.freebsd.org/advisories/FreeBSD-SA-26:66.jail.asc for patching instructions.

Affected VersionsENISA

FreeBSD 15.0-RELEASE <p14
FreeBSD 14.5-RELEASE <p1
FreeBSD 14.4-RELEASE <p10
FreeBSD 15.1-RELEASE <p4

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Technical ContextAI · show details

The vulnerability stems from the FreeBSD kernel's failure to enforce the FD_RESOLVE_BENEATH flag during renameat(2) operations on directory file descriptors. FD_RESOLVE_BENEATH is a security measure that restricts path resolution to stay within a specified directory, preventing escape via relative paths. This flaw, classified as CWE-273 (Improper Check for Dropped Privileges), allows a jailed process that has received a directory file descriptor from another jail to rename that directory and then use fchdir(2) to escape the jail's filesystem root, provided the directory resides on a filesystem also accessible from the jail's root. FreeBSD jails are OS-level virtualization mechanisms; the CPE cpe:2.3:a:freebsd:freebsd:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* indicates that all versions are potentially affected, but specific vulnerable releases are those before the patched levels. The attack is local, high complexity, and requires low privileges (per assessed CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).

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Severity by source

Vendor (freebsd) PRIMARY 8.8 HIGH
AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
vuln.today AI 7.8 HIGH

Local in-jail execution gives AV:L and PR:L; the required cross-jail FD on a shared filesystem is a specialized precondition (AC:H); jail escape to host is a scope change (S:C) with full C/I/A impact.

3.1 AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.0 AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H

Primary rating from Vendor (freebsd).

CVSS VectorVendor: freebsd

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

3
CVSS changed
Oct 16, 2026 - 19:26 NVD
8.8 (HIGH)
CVE Published
Oct 15, 2026 - 06:46 cve.org
HIGH 8.8
CVE Published
Oct 15, 2026 - 06:46 cve.org
UNKNOWN (no severity yet)

DescriptionCVE.org

renameat(2) did not enforce FD_RESOLVE_BENEATH on its directory arguments. A jailed process could rename a directory relative to a restricted descriptor, then escape the jail root via fchdir(2). This requires the directory to reside on a filesystem that is also reachable from the jail's root.

A process in a jail that has received a directory file descriptor from another jail can use these techniques to escape the jail's filesystem root restriction.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

FreeBSD jail users are affected by a high-severity local escape vulnerability that can allow an attacker with code execution inside a jail to break the jail's filesystem isolation and reach the host or other jails under specific cross-jail file descriptor passing configurations. Leadership should care because jails often serve as a primary isolation boundary for multi-tenant or hosted services, and a successful escape could undermine tenant separation, expose sensitive data, or enable lateral movement across infrastructure. Exploitation is non-trivial and no public exploit identified at time of analysis, but no vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis, so organizations should apply interim mitigations and monitor for vendor updates.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Interim mitigations include restricting cross-jail file descriptor passing, reviewing and hardening jail configurations to prevent unnecessary file descriptor sharing, limiting local code execution within jails, applying least privilege, monitoring for renameat(2) and fchdir(2) abuse, and using stronger isolation such as virtual machines for high-value or multi-tenant workloads until a vendor patch is released.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.2%
Top 93% exploitable
Prevalence
Medium
FreeBSD is a mainstream OS, but jail multi-tenant/FD-sharing setups are specific
Data Quality
4 sources
Confidence: Medium

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.2%
Patch available No
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision
Scheduled
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable
No
Human Impact
High
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

44
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +44
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

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