CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-79608NVD status: Awaiting Analysis

Xen: Always-Incorrect Control Flow Implementation

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-79608 is a critical-severity always-incorrect control flow implementation vulnerability in Xen, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.34% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Patch this week

Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.

What to do

  1. Check which version of Xen you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
  2. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
XenXenNot specified in the recordNot stated

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
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CISA (ADP).

Official description

The workaround for XSA-433 (Zenbleed, CVE-2023-20593) was later re-worked to better integrate with other manipulations of the same MSR. In this rework an inverted conditional was introduced, resulting in the workaround to not be applied when needed and vice versa. For more details, see: http://xenbits.xen.org/xsa/advisory-433.html

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Always-Incorrect Control Flow Implementation

The code contains a control flow path that does not reflect the algorithm that the path is intended to implement, leading to incorrect behavior any time this path is navigated.

More Always-Incorrect Control Flow Implementation vulnerabilities (CWE-670)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in Xen

All Xen vulnerabilities

Recent Always-Incorrect Control Flow Implementation vulnerabilities

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