Libvirt: integer overflow in nodegetfreepages rpc handler leading to heap buffer overflow
Summary
| CVE | CVE-2026-18917 |
|---|---|
| State | PUBLISHED |
| Assigner | redhat |
| Source Priority | CVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback |
| Published | 2026-08-20 10:16:40 UTC |
| Updated | 2026-08-20 10:16:40 UTC |
| Description | A flaw was found in libvirt. An unprivileged local user could exploit an integer overflow vulnerability in the NodeGetFreePages RPC handler. This flaw allows crafted values to bypass a size check, leading to an undersized memory buffer. Subsequently, real NUMA node data can overwrite this buffer. This heap buffer overflow can corrupt the root libvirt daemon's memory, potentially leading to a denial of service or local privilege escalation. |
Risk And Classification
Primary CVSS: v3.1 7.8 HIGH from [email protected]
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Problem Types: CWE-190 | CWE-190 Integer Overflow or Wraparound
| Version | Source | Type | Score | Severity | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | [email protected] | Primary | 7.8 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| 3.1 | CNA | CVSS | 7.8 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
CVSS v3.1 Breakdown
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vendor Declared Affected Products
| Source | Vendor | Product | Version | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Not specified | Not specified |
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Not specified | Not specified |
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Not specified | Not specified |
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Not specified | Not specified |
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Not specified | Not specified |
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux For NVIDIA 26 | Not specified | Not specified |
References
| Reference | Source | Link | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi | [email protected] | bugzilla.redhat.com | |
| access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-18917 | [email protected] | access.redhat.com | |
| CVE Program record | CVE.ORG | www.cve.org | canonical |
| NVD vulnerability detail | NVD | nvd.nist.gov | canonical, analysis |
Additional Advisory Data
| Source | Time | Event |
|---|---|---|
| CNA | 2025-07-22T00:00:00.000Z | Reported to Red Hat. |
| CNA | 2025-08-12T00:00:00.000Z | Made public. |
Workarounds
CNA: Restrict access to the libvirt read-only Unix socket to limit which local users can reach the vulnerable RPC handler. In /etc/libvirt/libvirtd.conf, set unix_sock_ro_perms to "0770" (or "0700") and configure unix_sock_group to a group containing only trusted users. Alternatively, enable polkit authentication for the read-only socket by setting auth_unix_ro = "polkit", which requires callers to be authorized before any RPC dispatch occurs. After changing the configuration, restart the libvirtd service. Note: restricting socket access may prevent unprivileged monitoring tools or read-only management clients from connecting.