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CVE-2026-50540

9.6 · CRITICAL

Kata Containers is an open source project focusing on a standard implementation of lightweight Virtual Machines (VMs) that perform like containers.

Published Aug 7, 2026CWE-20EPSS 0.61%

Overview

CVE-2026-50540 is a critical-severity vulnerability. It was published on August 7, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.6 (CRITICAL).

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.6, rated CRITICAL. It can be exploited remotely over the network. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.

Technical description

Kata Containers is an open source project focusing on a standard implementation of lightweight Virtual Machines (VMs) that perform like containers. Prior to version 4.0.0, kata-runtime is vulnerable to host code execution via an unvalidated configuration path annotation. The runtime accepts an arbitrary io.katacontainers.config_path pod annotation and loads the referenced host TOML file without restriction. As a result, a pod user who can place a file at a host-visible path can supply a configuration that selects an attacker-controlled hypervisor or virtio-fs daemon binary, executing code as root on the host. This issue is fixed in version 4.0.0.

Remediation

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

References

GitHubgithub.com/kata-containers/kata-containers/commit/03cc670076099530f4e1e9cb22849afdafb20f65GitHubgithub.com/kata-containers/kata-containers/security/advisories/GHSA-mp2j-xm59-qfgwRefwww.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/08/23/3Refwww.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/08/24/1

How CyberStrike helps

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-50540?

CVE-2026-50540 is a critical-severity vulnerability. It was published on August 7, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.6 (CRITICAL).

How severe is CVE-2026-50540?

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.6, rated CRITICAL. It can be exploited remotely over the network. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.

How do I fix or remediate CVE-2026-50540?

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2026-50540?

CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2026-50540 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.

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