CVE-2026-66898

Received Received - Intake

Path Traversal in LXD Backup Import and Restore

Publication date: 2026-08-12

Last updated on: 2026-08-12

Assigner: Canonical Ltd.

Description

A path traversal vulnerability in LXD allows an attacker to manipulate file system paths during backup import and restore operations. When importing or restoring a backup archive, LXD fails to validate instance and storage volume names contained within the archive metadata. An attacker can exploit this flaw by supplying a crafted backup archive with malicious instance or volume names containing path traversal sequences, potentially allowing file access or overwriting outside the designated restore directory.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

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Meta Information

Published

2026-08-12

Last Modified

2026-08-12

Generated

2026-08-13

AI Q&A

2026-08-13

EPSS Evaluated

N/A

NVD

CVE-2026-66898

EUVD

EUVD-2026-57545

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
ubuntu	lxd	*

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-22	The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This is a path traversal vulnerability in LXD that lets an attacker manipulate file system paths during backup import and restore operations. When importing or restoring a backup archive, LXD does not validate instance or storage volume names in the archive metadata. An attacker can craft a backup archive with malicious names containing path traversal sequences to access files or overwrite data outside the intended restore directory.

Detection Guidance

To detect this vulnerability, inspect LXD backup archives for malicious instance or storage volume names containing path traversal sequences like '../'. Check archive metadata for unusual paths. Use commands like 'tar -tvf backup.tar' to list archive contents and verify names.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to read sensitive files, overwrite critical system files, or gain unauthorized access to data outside the designated restore area. This could lead to data breaches, system compromise, or denial of service if important files are overwritten.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized data access or exposure, violating GDPR's data protection requirements or HIPAA's safeguards for protected health information. Organizations may face compliance violations, legal penalties, or reputational damage if exploited.

Mitigation Strategies

Update LXD to the latest patched version immediately. Avoid importing untrusted backup archives. Restrict access to LXD operations to trusted users only. Monitor for suspicious file access or modifications outside restore directories.

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