CVE-2026-40197Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Authenticated daemon crash via null snapshot entry

Published May 6, 2026 · Updated May 6, 2026

Nil-pointer dereference in Linux Containers Incus before 7.0.0 allows remote authenticated users to crash the daemon via volume import. CreateCustomVolumeFromBackup iterates over attacker-controlled VolumeSnapshots entries and dereferences each pointer without rejecting YAML null elements. Access to the custom storage volume import feature is required; one crafted backup crashes the node daemon, and repeated imports keep it offline.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.39%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Nil-pointer dereference in Linux Containers Incus before 7.0.0 allows remote authenticated users to crash the daemon via volume import. CreateCustomVolumeFromBackup iterates over attacker-controlled VolumeSnapshots entries and dereferences each pointer without rejecting YAML null elements. Access to the custom storage volume import feature is required; one crafted backup crashes the node daemon, and repeated imports keep it offline.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-40197
Published
May 6, 2026
Updated
May 6, 2026
Vendor
Linux Containers
Product
Incus
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 6, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 6, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 7.0.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Linux Containers · Incusversion=< 7.0.0

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
6.5GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.1GitHub, Inc.CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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