CVE-2026-39402: lxc Auth Bypass — Exploit & Fix

Description

lxc is a Linux container runtime. In the setuid helper lxc-user-nic, the delete path contains a logic flaw in the find_line() function that allows an unprivileged user to delete OVS-attached network interfaces belonging to other users. When lxc-user-nic delete scans its NIC database to authorize a deletion request, the interface name comparison can set the authorization flag based on a name match alone, even when the ownership, type, and link fields in that database entry belong to a different user. The vulnerable check sits after the goto next label handling, meaning it is reachable on lines where earlier ownership checks failed or were skipped. Because nothing downstream of this authorization signal re-verifies that the matched database line actually belongs to the caller, an unprivileged attacker with a valid lxc-usernet policy entry can trigger deletion of another user's OVS port on the same bridge. This is limited to multi-tenant environments using lxc-user-nic with OpenVSwitch bridges. The impact is denial of service - one tenant can repeatedly disconnect networking from containers run by another tenant on shared infrastructure. This is patched in version 7.0.0.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

6.5

MEDIUM

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0001

Probability of exploitation

0.02%

Percentile rank

EPSS estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A higher score means more likely to be exploited.

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-863 Incorrect Authorization

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
linuxcontainers	lxc	< 7.0.0

References

Advisories & Patches

https://github.com/lxc/lxc/security/advisories/GHSA-3m9j-g9gc-vcvq https://github.com/lxc/lxc/security/advisories/GHSA-3m9j-g9gc-vcvq

Exploits

https://github.com/lxc/lxc/security/advisories/GHSA-3m9j-g9gc-vcvq https://github.com/lxc/lxc/security/advisories/GHSA-3m9j-g9gc-vcvq

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-39402? +

lxc is a Linux container runtime. In the setuid helper lxc-user-nic, the delete path contains a logic flaw in the find_line() function that allows an unprivileged user to delete OVS-attached network interfaces belonging to other users. When lxc-user-nic delete scans its NIC database to authorize a deletion request, the interface name comparison can set the authorization flag based on a name match alone, even when the ownership, type, and link fields in that database entry belong to a different user. The vulnerable check sits after the goto next label handling, meaning it is reachable on lines where earlier ownership checks failed or were skipped. Because nothing downstream of this authorization signal re-verifies that the matched database line actually belongs to the caller, an unprivileged attacker with a valid lxc-usernet policy entry can trigger deletion of another user's OVS port on the same bridge. This is limited to multi-tenant environments using lxc-user-nic with OpenVSwitch bridges. The impact is denial of service - one tenant can repeatedly disconnect networking from containers run by another tenant on shared infrastructure. This is patched in version 7.0.0. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.5 (MEDIUM).

How severe is CVE-2026-39402? +

CVE-2026-39402 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 6.5 out of 10, rated MEDIUM. This is a medium-severity vulnerability that should be remediated as part of regular maintenance. The EPSS score is 0.0001, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-39402? +

CVE-2026-39402 affects products from linuxcontainers, specifically: lxc. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-39402? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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