VeraCrypt: Incomplete Cleanup
CVE-2026-108982 is a high-severity incomplete cleanup vulnerability in VeraCrypt from IDRIX, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 7.2 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected VeraCrypt versions: 1.26.29. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.19% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of VeraCrypt you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Attack requirements
- PresentThe target must be in a specific state or configuration for the attack to work.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
- Integrity (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
- Availability (vulnerable system)
- NoneNo loss of availability on the vulnerable system.
- Confidentiality (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of confidentiality on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Integrity (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of integrity on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Availability (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of availability on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X. Scored by CNA (mitre.org).
Official description
VeraCrypt 1.26.29 (FUSE-T build) on macOS sometimes allows unintended access to decrypted data. It does not terminate the FUSE-T auxiliary service (go-nfsv4) and its associated VeraCrypt core-service helper processes when a volume is dismounted. After VeraCrypt reports the volume as dismounted, the auxiliary mount continues to serve the decrypted volume image (volume.dmg) over a loopback SMB session, and the leaked processes retain an open handle to the underlying raw device. A local user or process can therefore remount and access the decrypted volume without the passphrase, e.g., by reopening a previously accessed path (such as through a macOS Open Recent menu) or by attaching volume.dmg from the stale auxiliary mount. (The macFUSE build of VeraCrypt is not affected.)
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Incomplete Cleanup
The product does not properly clean up and remove temporary or supporting resources after they have been used.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Temporary files and other supporting resources should be deleted/released immediately after they are no longer needed.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Other references
Recent Incomplete Cleanup vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 9.6 Critical severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.4 High severity
- 9.0 Critical severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.