CVE-2026-101599 in VirtualBox
Summary
by MITRE • 10/21/2026
Vulnerability in the Oracle VM VirtualBox product of Oracle Virtualization (component: Core). The supported version that is affected is 7.2.20. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with logon to the infrastructure where Oracle VM VirtualBox executes to compromise Oracle VM VirtualBox. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker and while the vulnerability is in Oracle VM VirtualBox, attacks may significantly impact additional products (scope change). Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in takeover of Oracle VM VirtualBox. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 7.5 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2026
The identified vulnerability resides within the core component of Oracle VM VirtualBox version 7.2.20, representing a significant security flaw in one of the most widely deployed virtualization platforms globally. This issue is classified as an exploitable defect that allows for privilege escalation and system compromise under specific conditions. The nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management or potentially CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write depending on the precise memory corruption mechanics, though the primary classification centers around unauthorized access leading to full control over the host environment running the virtual machine manager.
Exploitation of this flaw requires a low privileged attacker who has already obtained valid logon credentials and access to the infrastructure where Oracle VM VirtualBox is executing. This prerequisite indicates that the vulnerability does not allow for remote code execution from an unauthenticated network position, thereby limiting its initial attack vector to local or adjacent networks with authenticated user accounts. The complexity of exploitation is rated as difficult, suggesting that successful attacks may require specific environmental conditions or precise timing, which serves as a partial mitigation against automated widespread attacks but remains manageable for determined adversaries possessing the necessary technical expertise and access privileges.
A critical aspect of this vulnerability is its reliance on human interaction from a party other than the attacker to achieve compromise. This characteristic maps directly to ATT&CK technique T1566 Phishing or social engineering vectors, where an adversary might trick a user into performing an action that triggers the exploit within the virtualization environment. Furthermore, the scope of this vulnerability is classified as changed, meaning that while the initial point of entry is Oracle VM VirtualBox itself, the successful exploitation can lead to impacts on additional products and components outside the immediate boundary of the vulnerable software. This implies a potential for hypervisor escape or host system compromise, allowing the attacker to pivot from the guest virtual machine environment into the underlying physical hardware resources managed by the host operating system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 7.5 indicating high severity. The vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H) details that while the attack vector is local and requires complex conditions along with user interaction, the resulting impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability are all rated as high due to the scope change. A successful compromise results in complete takeover of Oracle VM VirtualBox, which effectively grants the attacker administrative control over the virtualization layer. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data stored within guest systems, modification or destruction of critical system files, and disruption of services provided by both the host and any connected guests.
Mitigation strategies must focus on strict access controls and operational hardening given that direct remote exploitation is not feasible without prior authentication. Organizations should enforce least privilege principles for all users with access to machines running Oracle VM VirtualBox, ensuring that standard user accounts do not possess administrative rights over the virtualization software or its configuration files. Regular patching cycles are essential; administrators must immediately apply updates from Oracle that address this specific flaw in version 7.2.20 and subsequent releases. Additionally, implementing application whitelisting can prevent unauthorized execution of scripts or binaries within the guest environments that might be used to trigger the vulnerability. Security awareness training is also recommended to reduce the risk of social engineering attacks that could facilitate the required human interaction element for exploitation. Monitoring logs for unusual processes spawned by virtualization software and restricting USB device passthrough features where not strictly necessary can further reduce the attack surface associated with this core component flaw.