CVE-2026-18917: Libvirt: integer overflow in nodegetfreepages rpc handler leading to heap buffer overflow
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.
Other sources
An integer overflow vulnerability was found in libvirt's NodeGetFreePages RPC handler in src/remote/remotedaemondispatch.c. The dispatcher computes a 32-bit product (pageslen cellCount) for both validation and memory allocation. While pageslen is XDR-capped at 1024, cellCount remains unbounded. The multiplication truncates modulo 2^32, allowing crafted values to bypass the guard check. The undersized buffer is then overwritten with real NUMA node data. The RPC call requires only connect:read ACL (lowest permission tier) and is accessible via the world-readable Unix socket (mode 0666) with no authentication for VIRCONNECTRO clients. An unprivileged local user could exploit this to corrupt the root libvirt daemon's heap, leading to denial of service or potentially local privilege escalation.
— Red Hat
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is realistically exposed to exploitation?
Systems running the root libvirt daemon are exposed if an unprivileged local user can issue requests to the NodeGetFreePages RPC handler. The attack is local and requires low privileges; no user interaction is required.
What does an attacker need to do to trigger the flaw?
An attacker needs to provide crafted values to the NodeGetFreePages RPC handler that cause an integer overflow and bypass its size check. Real NUMA node data can then overwrite the resulting undersized heap buffer.
What is the likely impact after successful exploitation?
The heap buffer overflow can corrupt memory in the root libvirt daemon. This may cause denial of service or enable local privilege escalation.