# CVE-2026-48751: LXC Incus arbitrary command execution via snapshot restoration bypass

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-48751-lxc-incus-arbitrary-command-execution-via-snapshot-restoration  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-08-21. Updated: 2026-06-26  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-48751 · Severity: critical · CVSS 9.9 · Published 2026-08-21

Incus, a container and virtual machine management tool, contains a security flaw where restricted project settings are ignored during the restoration of instance snapshots. This allows a user with limited access to bypass security boundaries and execute commands with administrative (root) privileges on the host server. An attacker could use this to take full control of the server, access sensitive data, or disrupt operations.

Technologies: [github.com/lxc/incus (Go)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/github-com-lxc-incus), [github.com/lxc/incus/v6 (Go)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/github-com-lxc-incus-v6), [github.com/lxc/incus/v7 (Go)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/github-com-lxc-incus-v7), [github.com/lxc/incus/v7/cmd/incusd (Go)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/github-com-lxc-incus-v7-cmd-incusd). Vendors: [Go](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/go).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-48751 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-48751 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-48751?** Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 9.9, published 21 August 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** github.com/lxc/incus (Go) SEMVER:introduced=0; github.com/lxc/incus/v6 (Go) SEMVER:introduced=0; github.com/lxc/incus/v7 (Go) SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=7.2.0; github.com/lxc/incus/v7/cmd/incusd (Go) < 7.2.0, SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=7.2.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-48751?** Yes. github.com/lxc/incus/v7 (Go): upgrade to 7.2.0 or later; github.com/lxc/incus/v7/cmd/incusd (Go): upgrade to 7.2.0 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-48751 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a hosted service.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-48751?** Check whether you run github.com/lxc/incus (Go), github.com/lxc/incus/v6 (Go), github.com/lxc/incus/v7 (Go) or one of the others listed at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- github.com/lxc/incus/v7 (Go): upgrade to 7.2.0 or later

  ```sh
  go get github.com/lxc/incus/v7@v7.2.0
  ```

- github.com/lxc/incus/v7/cmd/incusd (Go): upgrade to 7.2.0 or later

  ```sh
  go get github.com/lxc/incus/v7/cmd/incusd@v7.2.0
  ```


## Technical details

A vulnerability in Incus allows for a restricted project bypass leading to arbitrary command execution. The root cause is that instance snapshots fail to honor the 'restricted.containers.lowlevel=block' configuration setting. An attacker with low privileges can craft a malicious instance with low-level hooks (such as raw.lxc or raw.qemu) in an unrestricted environment, create a snapshot, and then move and restore that snapshot within a restricted project. Upon starting the restored instance, the low-level hooks execute on the host with root privileges. This issue is addressed in Incus version 7.2.0.

## Affected products

- LXC Incus < 7.2.0

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-48751
- GHSA-48q5-w887-33wv
- GO-2026-5799

## Timeline

- 2026-06-25: disclosed
- 2026-06-26: advisory
- 2026-06-26: patched: Fixed in version 7.2.0

## References

- [https://api.github.com/users/antifob](https://api.github.com/users/antifob)
- [https://github.com/antifob](https://github.com/antifob)
- [https://api.github.com/users/antifob/gists%7B/gist_id%7D](https://api.github.com/users/antifob/gists%7B/gist_id%7D)
- [https://api.github.com/users/antifob/repos](https://api.github.com/users/antifob/repos)
- [https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/25389335?v=4](https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/25389335?v=4)
- [https://api.github.com/users/antifob/events%7B/privacy%7D](https://api.github.com/users/antifob/events%7B/privacy%7D)

## Related threats

- [Incus project restriction bypass in instance copy](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-55622-incus-project-restriction-bypass-in-instance-copy)
- [Incus authorization bypass in custom volume copy](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-55621-incus-authorization-bypass-in-custom-volume-copy)
- [LXC Incus arbitrary file write via image hash path traversal](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-48769-lxc-incus-arbitrary-file-write-via-image-hash-path-traversal)
- [LXC Incus nil-pointer dereference in CreateCustomVolumeFromBackup](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-48756-lxc-incus-nil-pointer-dereference-in-createcustomvolumefrombackup)
- [LXC Incus argument injection in backup compression algorithm](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-48755-lxc-incus-argument-injection-in-backup-compression-algorithm)