CVE-2026-44210

Kata Containers have VM Escape via virtiofsd Argument Injection through Default-Enabled Pod Annotations

Published Jul 23, 2026 CVSS 4.0 · 5.8 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
Kata Containers is an open source project focusing on a standard implementation of lightweight Virtual Machines (VMs) that perform like containers. Versions prior to 3.31.0 ship with a default configuration that allows pod creators to inject arbitrary command-line arguments into the virtiofsd process through the `io.katacontainers.config.hypervisor.virtio_fs_extra_args` pod annotation. By injecting `-o source=/` along with `--no-announce-submounts` and `--sandbox=none`, an attacker can override the virtiofsd shared directory to serve the entire host root filesystem into the guest VM. Combined with the `kernel_params` annotation (also enabled by default) to activate the agent debug console, the attacker can mount the host filesystem from inside the VM and read or write any file on the host, including /etc/shadow. Version 3.31.0 patches the issue.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-rr59-xxvx-96qr Kata Containers have VM Escape via virtiofsd Argument Injection through Default-Enabled Pod Annotations
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 9.9, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

threat_severity

Important

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Katacontainers
Katacontainers kata-containers
Vendors & Products Katacontainers
Katacontainers kata-containers
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Kata Containers is an open source project focusing on a standard implementation of lightweight Virtual Machines (VMs) that perform like containers. Versions prior to 3.31.0 ship with a default configuration that allows pod creators to inject arbitrary command-line arguments into the virtiofsd process through the `io.katacontainers.config.hypervisor.virtio_fs_extra_args` pod annotation. By injecting `-o source=/` along with `--no-announce-submounts` and `--sandbox=none`, an attacker can override the virtiofsd shared directory to serve the entire host root filesystem into the guest VM. Combined with the `kernel_params` annotation (also enabled by default) to activate the agent debug console, the attacker can mount the host filesystem from inside the VM and read or write any file on the host, including /etc/shadow. Version 3.31.0 patches the issue.
Title Kata Containers have VM Escape via virtiofsd Argument Injection through Default-Enabled Pod Annotations
Weaknesses CWE-88
References
Metrics cvssV4_0

{'score': 5.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/E:P'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
GitHub_M
Published
Updated
Jul 24, 2026, 10:03 PM
Reserved
May 5, 2026, 3:13 PM
Status
Analyzed
Published
Jul 23, 2026, 6:16 PM
Modified
Aug 6, 2026, 12:57 AM
Severity
Important
Public date
Jul 23, 2026, 5:32 PM