CVE-2026-33897: Github.com/lxc/incus/v6 Incus Vulnerable To Arbitrary File Vulnerability
CRITICALCVE-2026-33897 is a CRITICAL (CVSS 9.9) incus vulnerable to arbitrary file vulnerability (CWE-1336: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements Used in a Template Engine) affecting Github.com/lxc/incus/v6 libraries in the Go ecosystem. The issue involves incus vulnerable to arbitrary file read and write through pongo templates. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 6.23.0.
CVE-2026-33897 at a Glance
Security Impact
CVSS: 9.9
The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).
How to Fix CVE-2026-33897
To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Github.com/lxc/incus/v6 dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.
Upgrade github.com/lxc/incus/v6 to 6.23.0
Upgrade github.com/lxc/incus to Latest secure release
Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:
inspect dependencies for github.com/lxc/incus/v6
How to Check if You Are Affected
To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2026-33897, inspect your project dependencies for Github.com/lxc/incus/v6:
inspect dependencies for github.com/lxc/incus/v6
Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Github.com/lxc/incus/v6 in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 6.23.0), your application is affected.
Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.
Technical Details
Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-1336: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements Used in a Template Engine, where the product uses a template engine to insert or process externally-influenced input, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements or syntax that can be interpreted as template expressions or other code directives when processed by the engine. In Github.com/lxc/incus/v6, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.
Source Advisory Statement
CVE-2026-33897 Affected Github.com/lxc/incus/v6 Versions
2 component(s)| Product / Package | Ecosystem | Affected Versions | Fixed Version |
|---|---|---|---|
|
github.com/lxc/incus/v6
|
Go |
< 6.23.0
|
6.23.0
|
|
github.com/lxc/incus
|
Go |
≤ 0.7.0
|
|
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2026-33897?
Which Github.com/lxc/incus/v6 versions are affected?
What version fixes CVE-2026-33897?
Is github.com/lxc/incus/v6 affected?
Is github.com/lxc/incus affected?
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-33897?
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-33897?
How can I check Go dependencies for CVE-2026-33897?
Machine-readable OSV JSON
OSV v1.5 Schema
{
"schema_version" : "1.4.0",
"id" : "GHSA-83xr-5xxr-mh92",
"modified" : "2026-03-27T17:17:03Z",
"published" : "2026-03-27T17:17:03Z",
"aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-33897" ],
"summary" : "Incus vulnerable to arbitrary file read and write through pongo templates",
"details" : "### Summary\nInstance template files can be used to cause arbitrary read or writes as root on the host server.\n\n### Details\nIncus allows for pongo2 templates within instances which can be used at various times in the instance lifecycle to template files inside of the instance. This particular implementation of pongo2 within Incus allowed for file read/write but with the expectation that the pongo2 chroot feature would isolate all such access to the instance's filesystem.\n\nThis was allowed such that a template could theoretically read a file and then generate a new version of said file.\n\nUnfortunately the chroot isolation mechanism is entirely skipped by pongo2 leading to easy access to the entire system's filesystem with root privileges.\n\n### Credit\nThis issue was discovered and reported by the team at [7asecurity](https://7asecurity.com/)",
"severity" : [ {
"type" : "CVSS_V3",
"score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H"
} ],
"affected" : [ {
"package" : {
"ecosystem" : "Go",
"name" : "github.com/lxc/incus/v6"
},
"ranges" : [ {
"type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
"events" : [ {
"introduced" : "0"
}, {
"fixed" : "6.23.0"
} ]
} ]
}, {
"package" : {
"ecosystem" : "Go",
"name" : "github.com/lxc/incus"
},
"ranges" : [ {
"type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
"events" : [ {
"introduced" : "0"
}, {
"last_affected" : "0.7.0"
} ]
} ]
} ],
"references" : [ {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/lxc/incus/security/advisories/GHSA-83xr-5xxr-mh92"
}, {
"type" : "ADVISORY",
"url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-33897"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/lxc/incus/commit/487edf5984fad89b0f762c03a7e211fdd38396fb"
}, {
"type" : "PACKAGE",
"url" : "https://github.com/lxc/incus"
} ],
"database_specific" : {
"cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-1336" ],
"severity" : "CRITICAL",
"github_reviewed" : true,
"github_reviewed_at" : "2026-03-27T17:17:03Z",
"nvd_published_at" : "2026-03-26T23:16:20Z"
}
}