What is CVE-2026-85526?

CVE-2026-85526 is Path traversal via Btrfs optimized-backup subvolumes[].path enables root file/dir manipulation in LXD. The supplied enrichment data classifies it as Path Traversal mapped to CWE-22 Path Traversal.

Which versions are affected?

Affected product and version evidence is listed in the product table above. Current public advisories should be checked for exact version scope before patch targeting is finalized.

Is there active exploitation?

Active exploitation is not confirmed from current sources for CVE-2026-85526. If exploitation is not confirmed from current sources, teams should document that status and continue monitoring KEV, vendor, and telemetry updates.

No. CVE-2026-85526 is not listed in CISA KEV in the supplied enrichment data. KEV status should be monitored because it can change after initial disclosure or after exploitation becomes publicly confirmed.

Is there a public exploit?

1 public PoC repositories reported; 0 marked weaponized in current dataset. Public exploit or PoC availability should raise triage priority, especially for exposed or business-critical systems.

How can defenders detect it?

Start with web/proxy/WAF logs, application logs, network IDS/IPS where available. Look for vulnerability-class behavior, product errors, suspicious authentication events, exploit probes, and abnormal process activity based only on evidence that applies to the affected product.

How should teams prioritize it?

Prioritize CVE-2026-85526 using CVSS 9.9, EPSS 0%, KEV status, public PoC status, and asset exposure. Internet-facing, privileged, or business-critical deployments should be handled first.

Are workarounds available?

Workarounds are not confirmed from current sources. Fixed-version evidence is listed in the mitigation section above.

Which threat actors are linked publicly?

No public threat actor linkage is confirmed from current sources. Do not attribute exploitation to a threat actor unless the source evidence explicitly supports that linkage.

What should be done in the next 24 hours?

Identify exposed assets running affected vendor/product/version combinations. Prioritize based on EPSS, PoC availability, and external exposure. Search available logs for exploit probes, errors, authentication anomalies, or suspicious child processes matching the vulnerability class. Open remediation tickets with affected assets, owners, evidence status, and detection coverage so decisions are traceable.

criticalPath Traversalpublic exploit

CVE-2026-85526

CVE-2026-85526 — Path traversal via Btrfs optimized-backup subvolumes[].path enables root file/dir manipulation in LXD

Path traversal in the Btrfs storage driver (unpackVolume) in Canonical LXD on Linux allows an authenticated user with instance creation privileges to delete or replace arbitrary files and directories on the host filesystem as root via a crafted subvolumes[].path entry in backup/optimized_header.yaml during a btrfs optimized backup import.

Published Sep 28, 2026Updated Sep 28, 2026Sources: NVD, Canonical (CNA), GitHub

Triage

Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the scoring sources call it.

Exploitation

Exploit code

public exploit, none observed

EPSS

Not scored

FIRST has not published a score

Affects

Canonical

4 products listed

CVSS base

9.9

critical

CISA SSVC assessment

Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses · SSVC 2.0.3. A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.

CISA

Exploitation

PoC

none · proof-of-concept · active

Automatable

can an attacker script all four kill-chain steps

Technical impact

Total

partial · total control of the vulnerable component

Remediation

The vendor's own words where we have them.

Upgrade to LXD versions 4.0.14, 5.0.10, 5.21.8, 6.10 or later.

First 24 hours

Ordered from the record's own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found.

Identify exposed assets running affected vendor/product/version combinations.
Prioritize based on EPSS, PoC availability, and external exposure.
Search available logs for exploit probes, errors, authentication anomalies, or suspicious child processes matching the vulnerability class.

Affected scope

Vendor, product and version as the advisories word them.

Vendor	Product	Versions	Status
Canonical	LXD	4.0.0 to < 4.0.14	Vulnerable
Canonical	LXD	5.0.0 to < 5.0.10	Vulnerable
Canonical	LXD	5.21.0 to < 5.21.8	Vulnerable
Canonical	LXD	6.0 to < 6.10	Vulnerable

Attack characteristics

The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.

Availability

High

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Scope

Changed

Attack Complexity

Low

Attack Vector

Network

Privileges Req

Low

User Interaction

None

Every base score collected

Sources score independently and disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.

Score	Version	Severity	Expl.	Impact	Source
9.9	CVSS 3.1	critical	3.1	6	ubuntu.com (CNA), Canonical (CNA)

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Weakness & attack patterns

CWE-22Path Traversal

Inferred from the weakness class — not observed against this CVE.

CAPEC-126 · Path TraversalCAPEC-139 · Relative Path Traversal

Public exploit

Capability, not use: code existing is a different claim from anyone running it.

Repositories

Detection

Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not rules we have tested.

Search application, proxy, and WAF logs for requests touching /optimized_header.yaml.
Prioritize edge telemetry for network-reachable LXD.
Monitor for scanner or exploit-pattern traffic after 1 public PoC repositories were reported.

web/proxy/WAF logsapplication logsnetwork IDS/IPS

Timeline

What happened to this CVE, newest first — with the readings a source repeats on a schedule counted underneath rather than listed.

2026
Added · CVSS 3.1 9.9 (AV:N)
Sep 28, 2026 · NVD
Initial · CVE published
Sep 28, 2026 · NVD

References

6 on the record

github.com/canonical/lxd-private/pull/103
Exploit, Third Party Advisory
github.com/canonical/lxd-private/pull/104
Exploit, Third Party Advisory
github.com/canonical/lxd-private/pull/105
Exploit, Third Party Advisory
github.com/canonical/lxd-private/pull/84
Exploit, Third Party Advisory
github.com/canonical/lxd-private/pull/87
Exploit, Third Party Advisory
github.com/canonical/lxd/security/advisories/GHSA-h85r-gjgx-g2rv
Exploit, Third Party Advisory

Elsewhere on this site

Canonicalevery CVE for this vendor
Path Traversalsame class
CWE-22other pages naming this weakness

Not in any source we poll

Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.

No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.

Answered from this record1

What should defenders know first?

CVE-2026-85526 is Path traversal via Btrfs optimized-backup subvolumes[].path enables root file/dir manipulation in LXD, a critical vulnerability affecting LXD from Canonical. The current evidence does not list it in CISA KEV, and the exploit status is: Active exploitation is not confirmed from current sources for CVE-2026-85526. Public exploit evidence is: 1 public PoC repositories reported; 0 marked weaponized in current dataset. The affected-version evidence is listed in the key facts and affected products tables. Defenders should first verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run those versions, then apply vendor patches or mitigations, restrict reachable attack surface, and preserve logs for detection review. CVSS 9.9 describes technical severity, while EPSS 0% helps estimate near-term exploit likelihood; neither replaces asset context. Unknown fields should remain explicit in tickets, and threat actor, IOC, victimology, or payload claims should not be added unless a cited source supports them. Monitor CISA KEV, vendor advisories, NVD changes, public PoC repositories, and internal telemetry for update triggers.