CVE-2026-87278 in 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 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).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2026
The identified vulnerability resides within the core component of Oracle VM VirtualBox, specifically affecting version 7.2.16 and potentially other supported releases in that lineage. This flaw represents a significant security risk because it allows for an unauthenticated attack vector, meaning that no valid credentials are required to initiate the exploitation process against the virtualization software. The attacker must have logon access to the underlying infrastructure where Oracle VM VirtualBox is executing, which typically implies network-level or local system access to the host machine running the hypervisor. This requirement places the vulnerability in a context where an adversary who has already breached perimeter defenses or gained physical/logical access to the host environment can leverage this flaw to further compromise the virtualization layer itself.
The technical nature of this exploit is characterized by its reliance on human interaction, which serves as both a constraint and a potential attack surface for social engineering tactics. While the vulnerability allows for unauthorized modifications such as updates, inserts, or deletes against accessible data within Oracle VM VirtualBox, it also enables the attacker to cause a complete denial of service through frequent, repeatable crashes or hangs of the application. This dual impact on integrity and availability is critical because it not only threatens the confidentiality and consistency of virtual machine configurations and stored data but also disrupts operational continuity by rendering the virtualization platform unusable until it is restarted or patched. The requirement for human interaction suggests that the exploit may involve triggering a specific action through the user interface, such as opening a malformed file, interacting with a compromised guest device passthrough feature, or executing a malicious script within a managed environment.
From an industry standards perspective, this vulnerability aligns closely with CWE-20 Improper Input Validation and CWE-434 Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type if the data manipulation involves file handling mechanisms. The ability to cause a hang or crash maps directly to CWE-835 Loop without Endless Recursion or CWE-789 Memory Corruption, depending on whether the denial of service is achieved through resource exhaustion or buffer overflow conditions within the core processing logic. In terms of tactical classification under the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability facilitates Initial Access via Trusted Relationship if the attacker leverages legitimate logon credentials to gain proximity, followed by Execution and Persistence techniques that manipulate virtual machine configurations or data stores. The denial of service aspect corresponds to Impact categories involving Disruption of Availability, which is particularly damaging in enterprise environments where high uptime for development, testing, or production workloads is mandatory.
The operational impact extends beyond the immediate crash or unauthorized data modification. Because Oracle VM VirtualBox often manages sensitive virtual machine images and configurations, a compromise can lead to lateral movement within an organization's infrastructure if the host system shares resources with other critical services. An attacker who gains write access to virtual disk files or configuration settings could potentially inject malicious code into guest operating systems or exfiltrate data stored within those environments. Furthermore, the availability impact means that security teams may face increased operational overhead in maintaining service levels, as repeated crashes require manual intervention and potential downtime for affected workloads. This is especially problematic in automated CI/CD pipelines or cloud-like infrastructure where virtualization stability is paramount.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate patching to version 7.2.16 or later if available, ensuring that the vendor's security fixes are applied promptly across all instances of the software. In environments where upgrading is not immediately feasible, administrators should enforce strict access controls on the host infrastructure, limiting logon privileges to only those users who absolutely require administrative rights over VirtualBox operations. Network segmentation can also help by isolating systems running vulnerable versions from untrusted networks or user workstations that might be compromised. Additionally, implementing application whitelisting and monitoring for unusual processes spawned by VirtualBox binaries can aid in early detection of exploitation attempts. Security awareness training should emphasize the risks associated with interacting with unknown files or configurations within virtualized environments to reduce the likelihood of successful human-interaction-based exploits. Regular audits of host system access logs are recommended to identify any unauthorized logon events that could precede an attack leveraging this vulnerability.