CVE-2026-24708: Nova OpenStack Nova Calls Qemu-img Without Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-m4f3-qp2w-gwh6
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CVSS 8.2
CWE-669
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-24708 is a HIGH (CVSS 8.2) openstack nova calls qemu-img without vulnerability (CWE-669: Incorrect Resource Transfer Between Spheres) affecting Nova libraries in the PyPI ecosystem. The issue involves openstack nova calls qemu-img without format restrictions for resize. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2026-24708 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-24708
GHSA Identifier GHSA-m4f3-qp2w-gwh6
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 8.2
CWE Classification CWE-669: Incorrect Resource Transfer Between Spheres
Affected Product Nova
Package Ecosystem PyPI
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 8.2

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity High (AC:H)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Changed (S:C)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2026-24708

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Nova dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

Nova fixed: Latest secure release 
pip install Nova>=Latest secure release
Nova fixed: Latest secure release 
pip install Nova>=Latest secure release
Nova fixed: Latest secure release 
pip install Nova>=Latest secure release
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

pip show Nova

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Python environment is affected by CVE-2026-24708, inspect your installed packages using pip:

pip show Nova

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Nova in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: The pip show Nova command checks currently installed packages in your active Python environment.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-669: Incorrect Resource Transfer Between Spheres, where the product does not properly transfer a resource/behavior to another sphere, or improperly imports a resource/behavior from another sphere, in a manner that provides unintended control over that resource. In Nova, 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

An issue was discovered in OpenStack Nova before 30.2.2, 31 before 31.2.1, and 32 before 32.1.1. By writing a malicious QCOW header to a root or ephemeral disk and then triggering a resize, a user may convince Nova's Flat image backend to call qemu-img without a format restriction, resulting in an unsafe image resize operation that could destroy data on the host system. Only compute nodes using the Flat image backend (usually configured with use_cow_images=False) are affected.

CVE-2026-24708 Affected Nova Versions

3 component(s)
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
Nova
pypi/Nova
PyPI
≥ 32.0.0.0rc1
≤ 32.1.0
Nova
pypi/Nova
PyPI
≥ 31.0.0.0rc1
≤ 31.2.0
Nova
pypi/Nova
PyPI
≤ 30.2.1

References

NVD — CVE-2026-24708 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-24708
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/openstack/nova/commit/3eba22ff09c81a61750fbb4882e5f1f01a20fdf5
bugs.launchpad.net/nova/+bug/2137507 WEB
https://bugs.launchpad.net/nova/+bug/2137507
Nova Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/openstack/nova
lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce... WEB
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2026/02/msg00025.html
Nova Security Information SECURITY
https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/02/17/7

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-24708?
CVE-2026-24708 is a security vulnerability in Nova involving OpenStack Nova calls qemu-img without format restrictions for resize under CWE-669: Incorrect Resource Transfer Between Spheres.
Which Nova versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches across affected packages: Nova.
What version fixes CVE-2026-24708?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is Nova affected?
Yes, Nova is affected in releases prior to Latest secure release. Upgrade your dependency to Latest secure release or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-24708?
CVE-2026-24708 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.2 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-24708?
CVE-2026-24708 is classified under CWE-669: Incorrect Resource Transfer Between Spheres (The product does not properly transfer a resource/behavior to another sphere, or improperly imports a resource/behavior from another sphere, in a manner that provides unintended control over that resource.).
How can I check PyPI dependencies for CVE-2026-24708?
Run the dependency tree command: 'pip show Nova'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-m4f3-qp2w-gwh6",
  "modified" : "2026-02-21T06:30:15Z",
  "published" : "2026-02-18T18:30:40Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-24708" ],
  "summary" : "OpenStack Nova calls qemu-img without format restrictions for resize ",
  "details" : "An issue was discovered in OpenStack Nova before 30.2.2, 31 before 31.2.1, and 32 before 32.1.1. By writing a malicious QCOW header to a root or ephemeral disk and then triggering a resize, a user may convince Nova's Flat image backend to call qemu-img without a format restriction, resulting in an unsafe image resize operation that could destroy data on the host system. Only compute nodes using the Flat image backend (usually configured with use_cow_images=False) are affected.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "Nova"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "32.0.0.0rc1"
      }, {
        "last_affected" : "32.1.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "Nova"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "31.0.0.0rc1"
      }, {
        "last_affected" : "31.2.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "Nova"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "last_affected" : "30.2.1"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-24708"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openstack/nova/commit/3eba22ff09c81a61750fbb4882e5f1f01a20fdf5"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://bugs.launchpad.net/nova/+bug/2137507"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openstack/nova"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2026/02/msg00025.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/02/17/7"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-669" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-02-19T20:27:55Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-02-18T18:24:33Z"
  }
}