CVE-2026-87269 in VM VirtualBox
Summary
by MITRE • 09/16/2026
Vulnerability in the Oracle VM VirtualBox product of Oracle Virtualization (component: Core). The supported version that is affected is 7.2.16. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low 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 takeover of Oracle VM VirtualBox. Note: This vulnerability applies to Windows host only. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 7.8 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2026
The identified vulnerability resides within the core component of Oracle VM VirtualBox version 7.2.16, representing a critical security flaw that affects only Windows host environments. This issue is classified as an easily exploitable vulnerability that permits low-privileged attackers to achieve complete compromise of the virtualization software. The attack vector requires local access with valid logon credentials on the infrastructure where Oracle VM VirtualBox is executing, indicating that remote exploitation without authentication is not possible for this specific flaw. However, once an attacker gains even minimal user-level access to the host system, they can leverage this weakness to escalate privileges and take full control of the virtualization environment. The severity of this vulnerability is quantified by a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 7.8, reflecting high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
From a technical perspective, vulnerabilities in hypervisor cores often stem from improper handling of memory operations or insufficient validation of inputs within the virtualization layer. In the context of Oracle VM VirtualBox, such flaws typically allow an attacker to bypass isolation boundaries between guest operating systems and the host system. The CVSS vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) confirms that while the attack requires local access with low privileges, it does not require user interaction or complex conditions. Once exploited, the attacker can execute arbitrary code within the context of the VirtualBox process, which often runs with elevated system permissions to manage hardware resources and virtual machine states. This effectively grants the attacker root-level control over the host operating system, enabling them to read sensitive data, modify system configurations, install persistent malware, or disrupt services running on the physical machine.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for privilege escalation from a standard user account to full administrative takeover. An adversary who compromises Oracle VM VirtualBox can pivot attacks to other systems within the network by using the compromised host as a staging ground. This undermines the fundamental security promise of virtualization, which relies on strict isolation between guests and hosts. The availability impact is significant because an attacker could crash the hypervisor or specific virtual machines, leading to denial of service for critical workloads hosted on that infrastructure. Furthermore, the integrity impact allows for silent modification of disk images, memory dumps, or configuration files, potentially introducing backdoors or altering data without detection by standard security monitoring tools designed at higher layers.
To mitigate this risk, organizations must prioritize patching Oracle VM VirtualBox to a version later than 7.2.16 as soon as possible. Since the vulnerability applies specifically to Windows hosts, special attention should be paid to any workstations or servers running Microsoft operating systems that utilize VirtualBox for development, testing, or legacy application support. In addition to applying vendor-provided updates, administrators should enforce strict access control policies on machines hosting virtualization software. This includes limiting local administrator rights and ensuring that only trusted users have logon privileges to these specific infrastructure components. Implementing host-based intrusion detection systems can also help identify suspicious activities indicative of exploitation attempts, such as unusual memory allocations or privilege escalation events within the VirtualBox process tree.
This vulnerability aligns with common weakness enumerations related to improper access control and buffer overflows often found in system software. It maps directly to MITRE ATT&CK techniques involving local privilege escalation and execution through virtualization components. Security teams should treat this as a high-priority issue due to the low barrier to entry for attackers who already have some level of access on the host machine. Regular audits of installed software versions and continuous monitoring for anomalous behavior in hypervisor processes are essential defensive measures against such threats. By maintaining up-to-date virtualization platforms and enforcing least-privilege principles, organizations can significantly reduce their attack surface and prevent potential takeover scenarios that could lead to broader network compromise.