CVE-2026-63622

Libvirt: swtpm privilege escalation via symlink following

HIGH
7.8
CVSS Score
Published: August 10, 2026 at 08:45 PM UTC
Updated: October 5, 2026 at 09:17 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorEnterprise Linux

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Severity
HIGH7.8
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.1%
SSVC
No known exploit

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.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

Vendor states this is fixed in 0:10.0.0-6.23.el9_4 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 0:10.10.0-7.18.el9_6 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 0:10.10.0-8.11.el10_0 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 0:11.10.0-12.7.el9_8 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 0:11.10.0-12.9.el10_2 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 0:4.5.0-36.el7_9.7 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 0:9.0.0-10.16.el9_2 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 8040020260916092751.522a0ee4 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 8060020260910092451.ad008a3a (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 8080020260910092120.63b34585 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 26 (unknown)

References (12)

VDB Entryx_refsource_REDHAT
Source: cverecord
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-63622
Issue Trackingx_refsource_REDHAT
Source: cverecord
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2513065
Vendor Advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
Source: cverecord
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:64773
Vendor Advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
Source: cverecord
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:65515
Vendor Advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
Source: cverecord
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:65516
Vendor Advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
Source: cverecord
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:65803
Vendor Advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
Source: cverecord
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:68513
Vendor Advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
Source: cverecord
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:68594

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatableTotal impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

7.8HIGHredhat
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusAWAITING ANALYSIS
CWE
CWE-59

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