CVE-2026-71139 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 high privileged attacker with logon to the infrastructure where Oracle VM VirtualBox executes to compromise Oracle VM VirtualBox. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a hang or frequently repeatable crash (complete DOS) of Oracle VM VirtualBox. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 4.4 (Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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, specifically affecting version 7.2.14 and potentially other supported releases in that lineage. This flaw represents a significant reliability issue for virtualization environments where stability is paramount. The nature of this defect allows an attacker with high privileges on the host infrastructure to trigger conditions that lead to severe operational disruptions within the hypervisor itself. Because Oracle VM VirtualBox operates as system-level software, any compromise or instability in its core components can have cascading effects on all guest operating systems running under it, making this a critical concern for enterprise virtualization deployments.
The technical mechanism of this vulnerability centers around an easily exploitable condition that results in a complete denial of service. Specifically, the flaw enables high-privileged attackers who possess valid logon credentials to the infrastructure hosting Oracle VM VirtualBox to induce hangs or frequent, repeatable crashes of the application. This is not a subtle memory corruption issue leading to code execution but rather a stability failure where the virtualization engine becomes unresponsive or terminates unexpectedly. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.4 reflects this impact on availability, with vectors indicating that while the attack requires local access and high privileges, it does not require user interaction and has no direct impact on confidentiality or integrity, but a severe impact on availability.
From an operational perspective, the ability to cause complete denial of service through simple exploitation means that any compromised account with administrative rights on the host machine can be used as a vector for disruption. This could lead to significant downtime for critical workloads hosted within VirtualBox VMs. In environments where high availability is required, such as production servers or development clusters relying on consistent uptime, this vulnerability poses a tangible risk. Attackers do not need complex exploit chains; they only require the ability to execute code with elevated privileges on the host system, which may be achieved through various means including compromised service accounts, misconfigured administrative tools, or insider threats.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, Uncontrolled Resource Consumption, as it leads to resource exhaustion resulting in a hang or crash. It also maps to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1529, System Shutdown/Reboot, which describes actions taken by adversaries to disrupt availability of systems and services. While the primary impact is denial of service rather than data exfiltration or lateral movement via code execution, the strategic value for an attacker seeking to cause disruption remains high. The lack of user interaction requirement further lowers the barrier for exploitation once local access with sufficient privileges is obtained.
Mitigation strategies should focus on strict privilege management and patching. Organizations running Oracle VM VirtualBox version 7.2.14 or affected versions must apply the latest security patches provided by Oracle as soon as they are available to address this core stability issue. Additionally, implementing least-privilege principles for accounts that have administrative access to the host infrastructure is crucial. By restricting which users and services can interact with VirtualBox processes at a high privilege level, organizations reduce the attack surface available to potential adversaries. Regular auditing of account permissions and monitoring for unusual system behavior or repeated crashes in virtualization hosts can also aid in early detection and response to exploitation attempts.