CVE-2026-44210: Kata Containers have VM Escape via virtiofsd Argument Injection through Default-Enabled Pod Annotations
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 23/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.59% (FIRST EPSS).
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- According to CISA the attack is automatable: targets can be found by mass scanning.
- Fixed version: azl3 kata-containers 3.19.1.kata3-6 on Azure Linux 3.0 3.32.0.kata0-1; azl3 kata-containers-cc 3.15.0.aks0-20 on Azure Linux 3.0 3.15.0.aks0-20.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to azl3 kata-containers 3.19.1.kata3-6 on Azure Linux 3.0 3.32.0.kata0-1; azl3 kata-containers-cc 3.15.0.aks0-20 on Azure Linux 3.0 3.15.0.aks0-20 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
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.
- Published
- Jul 23, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.5% · 48th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-88
Report tools
Action score
23
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 23 / 40 · 5.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.5%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- proof of concept
- Automatable
- yes
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- —
- CNA · GitHub_M
- 5.8
- NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.
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
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| katacontainers | kata containers | cpe:2.3:a:katacontainers:kata_containers |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- katacontainers kata containersbefore 3.31.0
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (GitHub_M). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
kata-containers kata-containers
- < 3.31.0affected
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go | github.com/kata-containers/kata-containers | before 0.0.0-20260519062212-ffa59ce3aa78 | 0.0.0-20260519062212-ffa59ce3aa78 |
Same product
katacontainers: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2020-27151An issue was discovered in Kata Containers through 1.11.3 and 2.x through 2.0-rc1.36Monitor
- CVE-2026-24834Kata Container to Guest micro VM privilege escalation35Monitor
- CVE-2026-24054Kata Containers Runtime: Host block device can be hotplugged to the VM if the container image is malformed or contains no layers35Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| azl3 kata-containers 3.19.1.kata3-6 on Azure Linux 3.0 | 3.32.0.kata0-1 · CBL-Mariner Releases | Microsoft (MSRC) |
| azl3 kata-containers-cc 3.15.0.aks0-20 on Azure Linux 3.0 | 3.15.0.aks0-20 | Microsoft (MSRC) |
| Go:github.com/kata-containers/kata-containers | 0.0.0-20260519062212-ffa59ce3aa78 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- Integrity
- Availability
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- X
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-88 · Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command ('Argument Injection')CVSS 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/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
nvd-secondary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Parameter InjectionCAPEC-137likelihood: Medium · Medium
- Flash Parameter InjectionCAPEC-174likelihood: High · Medium
- Using Meta-characters in E-mail Headers to Inject Malicious PayloadsCAPEC-41likelihood: High · High
- HTTP Parameter Pollution (HPP)CAPEC-460Medium
- OS Command InjectionCAPEC-88likelihood: High · High
ATT&CK techniques
—
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
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References
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.