Description
A flaw was found in libvirt. A local attacker, specifically a process running as the confined `swtpm` user, could exploit a symlink-following vulnerability in the `virFileChownFiles()` function. By planting a symbolic link within the `swtpm` state directory, the attacker could trick the root-level libvirt daemon into changing the ownership of an arbitrary file to the `swtpm` user. This allows for privilege escalation from the `swtpm` sandbox to root-level file ownership control.
Published: 2026-08-10
Score: 7.8 High
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
AI Analysis

Analysis and contextual insights are available on OpenCVE Cloud.

Remediation

Vendor Workaround

If virtual Trusted Platform Module (vTPM) functionality is not required, remove the <tpm> device definition from the domain XML configuration to prevent the vulnerable code path from being reached. To check if a domain uses vTPM: ``` virsh dumpxml <domain> | grep -A5 '<tpm' ``` To remove it, edit the domain XML and delete the <tpm> block. This prevents libvirt from spawning swtpm processes and from calling virFileChownFiles() on the swtpm state directory during domain startup. Domains that require vTPM for guest OS functionality cannot use this mitigation and should prioritize applying the upstream fix.

Tracking

Sign in to view the affected projects.

Advisories

No advisories yet.

History

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 18:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Tue, 11 Aug 2026 15:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Libvirt
Libvirt libvirt
Redhat enterprise Linux For Nvidia 26
Vendors & Products Libvirt
Libvirt libvirt
Redhat enterprise Linux For Nvidia 26

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

threat_severity

Important


Mon, 10 Aug 2026 21:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description A flaw was found in libvirt. A local attacker, specifically a process running as the confined `swtpm` user, could exploit a symlink-following vulnerability in the `virFileChownFiles()` function. By planting a symbolic link within the `swtpm` state directory, the attacker could trick the root-level libvirt daemon into changing the ownership of an arbitrary file to the `swtpm` user. This allows for privilege escalation from the `swtpm` sandbox to root-level file ownership control.
Title Libvirt: swtpm privilege escalation via symlink following
First Time appeared Redhat
Redhat enterprise Linux
Redhat enterprise Linux Nvidia
Weaknesses CWE-59
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux_nvidia:
cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:10
cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:6
cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7
cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8
cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:9
Vendors & Products Redhat
Redhat enterprise Linux
Redhat enterprise Linux Nvidia
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}


Subscriptions

Libvirt Libvirt
Redhat Enterprise Linux Enterprise Linux For Nvidia 26 Enterprise Linux Nvidia
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: redhat

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-11T17:13:37.082Z

Reserved: 2026-07-17T13:06:13.759Z

Link: CVE-2026-63622

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-08-11T17:13:30.806Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-08-10T21:17:23.550

Modified: 2026-08-11T18:18:03.927

Link: CVE-2026-63622

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Important

Publid Date: 2026-07-30T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2026-63622 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-08-11T14:21:42Z

Weaknesses
  • CWE-59

    Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')