CVE-2026-71116 in VM VirtualBox
Summary
by MITRE • 08/19/2026
Vulnerability in the Oracle VM VirtualBox product of Oracle Virtualization (component: Core). The supported version that is affected is 7.2.14. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows high privileged attacker with logon to the infrastructure where Oracle VM VirtualBox executes to compromise Oracle VM VirtualBox. 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:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2026
The identified vulnerability resides within the core component of Oracle VM VirtualBox version 7.2.14, representing a significant security flaw in one of the most widely deployed virtualization platforms globally. This specific weakness is classified as difficult to exploit due to its high complexity requirements and strict privilege prerequisites. The attack vector requires local access with high privileges on the host infrastructure where the vulnerable instance of Oracle VM VirtualBox is executing. Consequently, an attacker must already possess legitimate administrative or root-level credentials on the underlying operating system before they can attempt to leverage this flaw. This constraint significantly limits the pool of potential adversaries compared to remote code execution vulnerabilities but does not eliminate the risk for insiders or attackers who have achieved initial foothold through other means such as phishing or credential theft.
From a technical perspective, the vulnerability allows an authenticated high-privileged user to compromise the integrity and availability of the virtualization environment itself. The core issue likely involves improper handling of internal state transitions or resource management within the VirtualBox hypervisor layer, which can be triggered by specific sequences of API calls or configuration changes initiated by the privileged process. While the immediate target is Oracle VM VirtualBox, the impact extends beyond the application boundary due to scope change characteristics inherent in virtualization architectures. A successful exploitation does not merely crash the software but leads to a complete takeover of the VirtualBox instance. This means the attacker gains control over the execution context of the hypervisor processes running on the host machine.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as indicated by its CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 and high severity ratings across confidentiality, integrity, and availability metrics. The primary consequence is the potential for lateral movement within a virtualized environment. Since VirtualBox manages multiple guest operating systems, compromising the host-side hypervisor process can provide an attacker with insights into or control over other VMs hosted on the same machine. This could lead to data exfiltration from isolated guests, manipulation of persistent storage volumes shared between hosts and guests, or disruption of critical services running within those virtual machines. The ability to take over VirtualBox effectively neutralizes the isolation guarantees that virtualization is supposed to provide, turning a security boundary into an attack surface for broader infrastructure compromise.
In terms of industry standard classifications, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management and potentially CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write if memory corruption is involved in the takeover mechanism. From a tactical standpoint, it maps to MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation on Linux or Windows hosts depending on the underlying OS of the VirtualBox host, specifically T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation and potentially T1497 Virtualization/Sandbox Evasion if used to detect security tools. The high complexity requirement suggests that automated exploitation is unlikely, requiring manual crafting of specific payloads or sequences by a skilled attacker who understands the internal architecture of Oracle VM VirtualBox deeply.
Mitigation strategies must focus on strict access control and least privilege principles within the host environment. Administrators should ensure that only trusted individuals have administrative rights to machines running Oracle VM VirtualBox. Regular patching is critical, as Oracle has likely released updates addressing this specific flaw in versions subsequent to 7.2.14. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to a patched version immediately upon availability. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and monitoring for anomalous behavior within the hypervisor processes can help detect attempted exploitation activities. Security teams should also review audit logs on host systems for unusual privilege escalations or process injections that might indicate an attempt to leverage this vulnerability. By restricting high-privilege access and maintaining up-to-date software configurations, organizations can significantly reduce the risk associated with this critical virtualization flaw.