Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Local low-priv guest user (AV:L/PR:L); the file variant is a TOCTOU race (AC:H); guest-to-root crossing a trust boundary via the root agent warrants S:C, with full C/I/A on root compromise.
Primary rating from Vendor (redhat).
CVSS VectorVendor: redhat
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
A flaw was found in the QEMU Guest Agent (qga). A local unprivileged user can exploit a vulnerability in the guest-ssh-add-authorized-keys command handler by manipulating symbolic links. This can occur either through a deterministic directory-symlink bypass or a Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) file-symlink race. Successful exploitation allows the attacker to gain ownership of arbitrary root-owned files or directories, leading to root access. This vulnerability requires an external management layer (e.g., libvirt) to trigger the affected code path.
AnalysisAI
Local privilege escalation to root in the QEMU Guest Agent (qga) affects Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 through 10, RHEL for NVIDIA 26, and OpenShift Container Platform 4, where a local unprivileged guest user abuses the guest-ssh-add-authorized-keys command handler through symlink manipulation to seize ownership of arbitrary root-owned files. Two attack variants exist - a deterministic directory-symlink bypass and a TOCTOU file-symlink race - both requiring an external management layer such as libvirt to invoke the code path. …
Unlock full vulnerability intelligence
- Risk assessment & exploitation conditions
- Attack chain visualization
- Remediation with exact patch versions
- Threat intelligence from 22 sources
- Personal watchlist & email alerts
Free forever · No credit card required
Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata
Vulnerability AssessmentAI
| Exploitation | Exploitation requires: (1) a local unprivileged shell inside the guest VM (PR:L); (2) the QEMU Guest Agent running as root in that guest with the guest-ssh-add-authorized-keys RPC enabled/allowlisted; and (3) an external management layer such as libvirt or the orchestrator actually invoking that command handler (UI:R) - the vulnerable code path is not self-triggered by the local attacker and is unreachable if the host never issues the SSH-key command. … Additional conditions and limiting factors are described in the full assessment. |
| Risk Assessment | The CVSS vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (7.3, High) describes a local attack (AV:L) by an already-authenticated low-privileged guest user (PR:L) that yields full confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact by way of root file ownership. … Full risk analysis with EPSS, KEV, and SSVC signal comparison available after sign-in. |
| Exploit Scenario | An unprivileged user with a shell inside a RHEL or OpenShift-hosted VM pre-plants a symbolic link in the path that guest-ssh-add-authorized-keys will operate on, then waits for (or induces) the libvirt-based management layer to trigger the SSH-key-injection command. The root-privileged agent follows the attacker's directory symlink - or, in the file variant, the attacker wins a TOCTOU race by swapping the target for a symlink mid-operation - causing root to take actions against an attacker-chosen file and handing the attacker ownership of a root-owned resource for full root escalation. … |
| Remediation | Apply the qemu-guest-agent update for your Red Hat release once published; exact fixed versions are not enumerated in the available data, so track and cite the per-release errata from the Red Hat advisory at https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-12080 and Bugzilla 2499603 (https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2499603) rather than an assumed version number. … Detailed patch versions, workarounds, and compensating controls in full report. |
Recommended ActionAI
Within 24 hours, identify all systems running affected QEMU Guest Agent versions across RHEL 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and OpenShift Container Platform 4, and assess whether guest-ssh-add-authorized-keys functionality is operationally necessary; disable or restrict this handler if not business-critical, and audit all guest user accounts for unnecessary privileges. …
Sign in for detailed remediation steps and compensating controls.
Threat intelligence, references, and detailed analysis are available after sign-in.
More in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
View allRemote code execution in Cockpit's web interface allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the h
Remote code execution in Samba's printing subsystem allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary shell commands via craft
Remote code execution and privilege escalation in HPLIP (HP Linux Imaging and Printing) affects the hpcups print filter
HTTP request smuggling in Undertow (the embedded web server underpinning JBoss EAP, Red Hat Data Grid, and Apache Camel
HTTP request smuggling in Red Hat Undertow allows remote unauthenticated attackers to bypass front-end security controls
Out-of-bounds read in the GnuTLS DTLS handshake reassembly logic lets remote unauthenticated attackers trigger an intege
HTTP request smuggling in Undertow allows remote unauthenticated attackers to send `\r\r\r` as a header block terminator
Local privilege escalation in Performance Co-Pilot (PCP) on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 through 10 and OpenShift Containe
Denial of service in Red Hat / 389 Directory Server (389-ds-base, versions since ~1.3.2/2013) allows an authenticated LD
Local-to-domain-wide root privilege escalation in SSSD's LDAP sudo provider allows an authenticated LDAP directory user
Heap buffer overflow in GStreamer's librfb (RFB/VNC client) allows a malicious VNC server to corrupt heap memory on a co
Privilege escalation via authentication bypass in libssh affects servers that enable GSSAPIKeyExchange, where the gssapi
Same weakness CWE-61 – UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following
View allVendor StatusVendor
SUSE
Severity: Important| Product | Status |
|---|---|
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP7 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP7 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.3 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.4 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP7 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP7 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Server Applications 15 SP7 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP7 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.0 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.1 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP7 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications 16.0 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications 16.1 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Micro 6.0 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Micro 6.1 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Micro 6.2 | Affected |
| openSUSE Leap 16.0 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-LTSS | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-LTSS | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP4 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP5 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP6 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Server Applications 15 SP4 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Server Applications 15 SP5 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Server Applications 15 SP6 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS Extended Security | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4-LTSS | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP5 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP5-LTSS | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP6 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP6-LTSS | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server LTSS Extended Security 12 SP5 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP6 | Affected |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 4.3 | Affected |
| SUSE Manager Proxy LTS 4.3 | Affected |
| SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server 4.3 | Affected |
| SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server LTS 4.3 | Affected |
| SUSE Manager Server 4.3 | Affected |
| SUSE Manager Server LTS 4.3 | Affected |
| SUSE CaaS Platform 3.0 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE CaaS Platform 4.0 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 6 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 7 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 7.1 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP3 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP1 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP2 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP3 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP4 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP5 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP6 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP1 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP1-ESPOS | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP1-LTSS | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-ESPOS | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-LTSS | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-ESPOS | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-ESPOS | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-ESPOS | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP6 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.0 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.1 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP1 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP2 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP3 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP4 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP5 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP6 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Server Applications 15 SP1 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Server Applications 15 SP2 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Server Applications 15 SP3 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP2 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP3 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP4 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3-BCL | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3-ESPOS | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3-LTSS | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1-BCL | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1-LTSS | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-BCL | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-LTSS | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-BCL | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-LTSS | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP3 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP1 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP2 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP3 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP4 | Affected |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP5 | Affected |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 4.0 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 4.1 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 4.2 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server 4.0 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server 4.1 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server 4.2 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Manager Server 4.0 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Manager Server 4.1 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE Manager Server 4.2 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 8 | Not-Affected |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 8 | Not-Affected |
| openSUSE Leap 15.3 | Not-Affected |
| openSUSE Leap 15.4 | Not-Affected |
| openSUSE Leap 15.5 | Affected |
| openSUSE Leap 15.6 | Affected |
| openSUSE Leap Micro 5.2 | Not-Affected |
| openSUSE Leap Micro 5.3 | Affected |
| openSUSE Leap Micro 5.4 | Affected |
| openSUSE Leap Micro 5.5 | Affected |
| suse/sles/15.4/libguestfs-tools:0.49.0 suse/sles/15.4/virt-launcher:0.49.0 suse/sles/15.5/libguestfs-tools:0.58.0 suse/sles/15.5/virt-launcher:0.58.0 suse/sles/15.6/libguestfs-tools:1.1.1 suse/sles/15.6/virt-launcher:1.1.1 suse/sles/15.7/libguestfs-tools:1.5.0 suse/sles/15.7/virt-launcher:1.5.0 | Affected |
| suse/sles/15.2/virt-launcher:0.38.1 suse/sles/15.3/libguestfs-tools:0.45.0 suse/sles/15.3/virt-launcher:0.45.0 | Not-Affected |
Share
External POC / Exploit Code
Leaving vuln.today
EUVD-2026-45941
GHSA-9xqq-92hv-jj34