CVE-2026-13622: Kubevirt: virt-handler-rhel9: kubevirt: virt-handler migration proxy follows symlinks allowing container escape to host
A symlink following vulnerability was found in KubeVirt's virt-handler migration proxy. During live migration, the target-side virt-handler uses net.Dial("unix", "/proc/<pid>/root/...") to connect to Unix sockets inside the target virt-launcher pod. This call follows symlinks without restriction. The socket directories (/var/run/kubevirt/migrationproxy/, /var/run/libvirt/) are owned by the qemu user and writable from within the container. An authenticated user with namespace edit and pods/exec can trigger a migration, exec into the target virt-launcher, replace a socket with a symlink to the host CRI-O socket, and proxy arbitrary CRI gRPC from the source launcher — achieving full node compromise.
Other sources
A symlink following vulnerability was found in KubeVirt's virt-handler migration proxy. During live migration, virt-handler dials Unix sockets inside the target virt-launcher pod via /proc/<pid>/root/ paths using net.Dial() without symlink protection. These socket paths reside in qemu-owned directories writable by the virt-launcher user. An attacker with namespace edit and pods/exec permissions can replace a migration proxy socket with a symlink to the host CRI-O socket. Because virt-handler runs as root in the host mount namespace, absolute symlink targets resolve against the host filesystem, and the bidirectional io.Copy proxy relays attacker-controlled bytes to the container runtime, enabling full node compromise.
— MITRE
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-13622?
CVE-2026-13622 has a high severity rating of 8.8.
What does CVE-2026-13622 affect?
CVE-2026-13622 affects the Kubevirt virt-handler migration proxy.
How do I fix CVE-2026-13622?
To mitigate CVE-2026-13622, you should apply the latest patches or updates for Kubevirt that address this symlink following vulnerability.
What type of vulnerability is CVE-2026-13622?
CVE-2026-13622 is a path traversal vulnerability that allows container escape to the host.
When was CVE-2026-13622 published?
CVE-2026-13622 was published on August 12, 2026.