# CVE-2026-76061: CRI-O bind_mount_prefix symlink privilege escalation

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-76061-a-flaw-was-found-in-cri-o-s-bind-mount-prefix-handling-when  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-10-06. Updated: 2026-10-06  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-76061 · Severity: medium · CVSS 5.5 · Published 2026-10-06

CRI-O is a container runtime that manages containerized applications in Kubernetes environments. When configured with a bind_mount_prefix, a malicious container or local attacker can exploit symlink handling to access files outside the intended directory boundaries, potentially escalating privileges or reading sensitive files on the host system.

Technologies: [CRI-O](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/cri-o). Vendors: [CRI-O](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/cri-o).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-76061 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-76061 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-76061?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 5.5, published 6 October 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** CRI-O CRI-O.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-76061?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-76061 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a hosted service.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-76061?** Check whether you run CRI-O. 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.

## Technical details

CRI-O's bind_mount_prefix feature fails to properly validate intermediate absolute symlinks in hostPath volume mounts, allowing symlink traversal attacks. An attacker with container or local host access can craft a hostPath with an intermediate symlink that resolves outside the prefixed root directory, bypassing namespace isolation. The vulnerability requires the bind_mount_prefix to be explicitly configured (non-empty), and grants file access or privilege escalation on the host.

## Affected products

- CRI-O CRI-O

## Timeline

- 2026-10-06: disclosed

## References

- [https://github.com/cri-o/cri-o](https://github.com/cri-o/cri-o)
- [https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/](https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/)

## Related threats

- [CRI-O sandbox state poisoning via pod annotations](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-62146-a-trust-boundary-flaw-in-cri-o-s-sandbox-state-persistence-allows)
- [CRI-O checkpoint restore security context bypass](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-92574-a-vulnerability-in-cri-o-checkpoint-restore-allows-a-user-who-can)
- [CRI-O environment-variable handling denial of service](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-17113-cri-o-environment-variable-handling-denial-of-service)
- [CRI-O /etc/passwd injection via HOME environment variable bypass](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-15809-cri-o-etc-passwd-injection-via-home-environment-variable-bypass)