CVE-2026-71125 in 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. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated 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. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a hang or frequently repeatable crash (complete DOS) of Oracle VM VirtualBox as well as unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of Oracle VM VirtualBox accessible data. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 6.1 (Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H).
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2026
The identified vulnerability resides within the core component of Oracle VM VirtualBox, specifically affecting version 7.2.14 and potentially other supported releases in that lineage. This flaw represents a significant security risk because it allows an unauthenticated attacker to compromise the virtualization environment provided by Oracle. The attack vector is classified as local with low complexity, meaning the adversary must have logon access to the infrastructure where VirtualBox is executing. While this restricts remote exploitation over networks, it highlights critical risks in multi-tenant environments or shared development machines where user isolation may be insufficient. The requirement for human interaction indicates that the exploit likely relies on social engineering tactics or specific user actions within the guest operating system to trigger the underlying code flaw, such as interacting with a maliciously crafted virtual device driver or triggering a specific sequence of API calls through the graphical interface.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability impacts both data integrity and service availability, resulting in a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.1 which is considered medium severity. The primary operational impact involves the ability to cause a hang or a frequently repeatable crash, leading to a complete denial of service for Oracle VM VirtualBox. This means that any virtual machines running on the host system may be abruptly terminated, causing potential data loss if proper checkpointing or backup mechanisms are not in place. Furthermore, the vulnerability grants unauthorized access to update, insert, or delete accessible data within the context of the VirtualBox application. This integrity violation suggests that an attacker could manipulate configuration files, alter virtual disk contents, or corrupt state information associated with the running guests, thereby undermining trust in the virtualization layer itself.
In terms of industry standard classifications, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-20 Improper Input Validation if the flaw stems from inadequate sanitization of user-supplied data passed to core components. It also relates to CWE-400 Uncontrolled Resource Consumption given the denial-of-service aspect involving hangs and crashes. The attack pattern corresponds to MITRE ATT&CK techniques such as T1562 Impair Defenses, specifically through disruption or modification of security tools like hypervisors, and potentially T1078 Valid Accounts if the attacker leverages legitimate but compromised credentials on the host infrastructure. Understanding these mappings helps in categorizing the risk within broader threat intelligence frameworks and ensures that mitigation strategies address both the immediate technical flaw and its strategic implications for system stability and data protection.
Mitigation efforts should prioritize applying the latest security patches released by Oracle to update VirtualBox beyond version 7.2.14, as vendors typically resolve such core component flaws in subsequent point releases. Administrators must enforce strict access controls on host systems running virtualization software, ensuring that only trusted users have local logon privileges. In multi-user environments, implementing robust user isolation policies and limiting the scope of permissions granted to guest operating systems can reduce the attack surface. Additionally, organizations should monitor for unusual resource consumption patterns or unexpected crashes in VirtualBox instances as indicators of potential exploitation attempts. Regular audits of host system integrity and verification of virtual machine configurations against known good baselines are essential practices to detect any unauthorized modifications resulting from successful exploits of this vulnerability.