CVE-2026-50540
criticalpriority · track · 0EPSS 0.006 · 49 %ileEUEPSS · scored 2026-10-27
Kata Containers is an open source project focusing on a standard implementation of lightweight Virtual Machines (VMs) that perform like containers. Prior to version 4.0.0, kata-runtime is vulnerable to host code execution via an unvalidated configuration path annotation. The runtime accepts an arbitrary io.katacontainers.config_path pod annotation and loads the referenced host TOML file without restriction. As a result, a pod user who can place a file at a host-visible path can supply a configuration that selects an attacker-controlled hypervisor or virtio-fs daemon binary, executing code as root on the host. This issue is fixed in version 4.0.0.
cvss
Technical severity, 0–10. One row per scoring source.
base score 0–10 · higher = more severe · hover a vector to decode⚠ sources disagree · high–critical · 8.8–9.6
ssvc
A stakeholder decision — act, attend, or track — from exploitation and impact.
weaknesses
The CWE weakness classes this flaw belongs to.
affected products (1)
Products and version ranges known to be affected.
also known as (2)
Other names and identifiers for this entity.
sources
Which sources assert this record, and when.
references (8)
External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.
- https://github.com/kata-containers/kata-containers/commit/03cc670076099530f4e1e9cb22849afdafb20f65cnnvd
- https://github.com/kata-containers/kata-containers/security/advisories/GHSA-mp2j-xm59-qfgwcnnvd
- https://github.com/kata-containers/kata-containers/commit/03cc670076099530f4e1e9cb22849afdafb20f65enisa_euvd
- https://github.com/kata-containers/kata-containers/security/advisories/GHSA-mp2j-xm59-qfgwenisa_euvd
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/08/23/3nvd
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/08/24/1nvd
- https://github.com/kata-containers/kata-containers/commit/03cc670076099530f4e1e9cb22849afdafb20f65nvd
- https://github.com/kata-containers/kata-containers/security/advisories/GHSA-mp2j-xm59-qfgwnvd
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