CVE-2026-55621: CWE-284: Improper Access Control in lxc incus
Description
CVE-2026-55621 is an improper access control vulnerability in the lxc incus project. It allows an attacker who knows the name of a project and a custom volume within that project, but lacks authorization, to copy that custom volume into another project they control. This occurs because the system does not verify the attacker's permission to view the source volume before copying. The vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to secrets stored in custom volumes. Exploitation requires access to the same server where the volume resides. A proof-of-concept script demonstrates how to perform the unauthorized copy. The vulnerability affects incus versions prior to 7.2.0 and has a CVSS 3.1 score of 7.7 (high severity).
CVSS v3.1
Score 7.7high
Affected software
lxc
incus
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Weaknesses
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
The vulnerability arises from missing authorization checks in the storage volume creation handler of incus. Specifically, when copying a custom volume from a source project to a target project, the handler authorizes creation only in the target project but fails to check if the caller has permission to view the source volume. The attacker-controlled field req.Source.Project is used directly without a 'CanView' or equivalent permission check on the source volume. This allows an attacker with limited privileges to copy volumes from projects they do not have access to, potentially exposing sensitive data. The copy must be performed on the same server, but after copying, the volume can be moved elsewhere. A detailed proof-of-concept script is provided, demonstrating how an attacker can exploit this flaw remotely using client certificates.
Potential Impact
An attacker with some access to the incus server can copy custom storage volumes from projects they are not authorized to access, potentially leading to disclosure of sensitive information stored in those volumes. The vulnerability does not allow modification or deletion but compromises confidentiality by bypassing access controls on source volumes. The CVSS score of 7.7 reflects a high impact on confidentiality with no impact on integrity or availability.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is available, restrict access to the incus server and carefully manage user permissions and client certificates to prevent unauthorized volume copying. Monitor for updates from the incus project regarding patches addressing this issue.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- GitHub_M
- Date Reserved
- 2026-06-16T23:31:22.446Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
Threat ID: 6a8869e9acd9273b494e473b
Added to database: 08/21/2026, 15:08:25 UTC
Last enriched: 09/10/2026, 17:37:16 UTC
Last updated: 10/05/2026, 18:48:20 UTC
Views: 74
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