# CVE-2026-12080: Qemu-kvm: qemu-guest-agent: local privilege escalation via symlink attack in guest-ssh-add-authorized-keys

CVE-2026-12080 is fixed in 21 products on 1 platform, first by DEBIAN-CVE-2026-12080, released July 20, 2026. It is not reported as exploited. Patch Radar priority: High.

- Web page: https://patchblox.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-12080
- Priority: High
- CVSS: 7.3 (Moderate)
- EPSS: 0.0014
- CISA KEV: not listed
- Exploited (vendor report): no
- Publicly disclosed: no
- Published: Jul 20, 2026
- Weakness: UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following
- Vendor advisory: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-12080

## Description

A flaw was found in the QEMU Guest Agent (qga). A local unprivileged user can exploit a vulnerability in the guest-ssh-add-authorized-keys command handler by manipulating symbolic links. This can occur either through a deterministic directory-symlink bypass or a Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) file-symlink race. Successful exploitation allows the attacker to gain ownership of arbitrary root-owned files or directories, leading to root access. This vulnerability requires an external management layer (e.g., libvirt) to trigger the affected code path.

## Where it's fixed

| Platform | Product | Fixed in | Fix | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | qemu Debian 14 | 1:11.1.2+ds-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2026-12080](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2026-12080.md) | Jul 20, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-guest-agent RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-guest-agent almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-guest-agent ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-img RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-img almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-img ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm rocky 9 | 7:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RLSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rlsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-audio-pa RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-audio-pa almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-audio-pa ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-block-blkio RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-block-blkio almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-block-blkio ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-block-curl RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-block-curl almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-block-curl ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-block-rbd RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-block-rbd almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-block-rbd ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-common RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-common almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-common ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-core RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-core almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-core ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-device-display-virtio-gpu RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-device-display-virtio-gpu almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-device-display-virtio-gpu ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-device-display-virtio-gpu-ccw RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-device-display-virtio-gpu-ccw almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-device-display-virtio-gpu-pci RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-device-display-virtio-gpu-pci almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-device-display-virtio-gpu-pci ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-device-display-virtio-vga RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-device-display-virtio-vga almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-device-display-virtio-vga ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-device-usb-host RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-device-usb-host almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-device-usb-host ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-device-usb-redirect RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-device-usb-redirect almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-device-usb-redirect ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-docs RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-docs almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-docs ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-tools RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-tools almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-tools ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-ui-egl-headless RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-ui-egl-headless almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-ui-egl-headless ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-ui-opengl RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-ui-opengl almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-kvm-ui-opengl ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-pr-helper RHEL 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [RHSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2026-88421.md) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-pr-helper almalinux 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9.alma.1 | [ALSA-2026:88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | qemu-pr-helper ol 9 | 17:10.1.0-17.el9_8.9 | [ELSA-2026-88421](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2026-88421.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |

---

Data as of 2026-11-09T07:25:28Z UTC. Source: Patchblox Patch Radar (https://patchblox.com/security/patch-radar). Patchblox finds out-of-date software on Windows, macOS and Linux and updates it through release rings: https://patchblox.com/demo

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