CVE-2026-61477: Libvirt: libvirt: newline injection in network xml dns txt/srv fields allows dnsmasq config directive injection
A flaw was found in libvirt. The network XML parser accepts XML numeric character references for line breaks ( / ) in DNS TXT record value attributes and SRV record domain/target attributes without sanitization. The network driver writes these values directly into the line-oriented dnsmasq configuration file as txt-record= or srv-host= directives. An embedded newline terminates the intended directive and begins a new one under attacker control (e.g., dhcp-script=/bin/sh -c '<cmd>'), which dnsmasq executes as root when the virtual network is started. Under the default libvirt deployment model, read-write access to the libvirt socket is already root-equivalent, and the <dnsmasq:options> raw namespace already provides a documented mechanism for arbitrary directive injection, making this a hardening issue only. However, under non-default polkit fine-grained access control configurations that grant only network.write and network.start permissions, this could represent a privilege boundary violation.
Other sources
An injection vulnerability was found in libvirt's virtual network driver. The network XML parser does not strip newline characters from DNS TXT record value attributes and SRV record domain/target attributes. These values are written verbatim into the dnsmasq configuration file generated by the network driver, allowing a user with permission to define virtual networks to inject arbitrary dnsmasq configuration directives such as dhcp-script, leading to arbitrary command execution as root.
— MITRE
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-61477?
The severity of CVE-2026-61477 is classified as low.
How do I fix CVE-2026-61477?
To fix CVE-2026-61477, update to the latest version of libvirt where the vulnerability has been addressed.
What kind of injection is related to CVE-2026-61477?
CVE-2026-61477 is associated with CRLF injection in DNS TXT and SRV record fields.
What impact does CVE-2026-61477 have on dnsmasq configurations?
CVE-2026-61477 allows potential injection of configuration directives into dnsmasq due to unsanitized input.
Which software is affected by CVE-2026-61477?
CVE-2026-61477 affects the libvirt software specifically.