Description
A flaw was found in the interaction between systemd-gpt-auto-generator and
confidential computing guest VM images in OpenShift Sandboxed Containers
(confidential peer pods). systemd-gpt-auto-generator automatically discovers
and mounts GPT partitions by type GUID at boot with no user confirmation. In
the confidential computing threat model, where the host/hypervisor is the
adversary, a malicious host can inject partitions into the guest's virtual
disk. Most critically, injecting a swap partition causes the guest kernel to
page out TEE-encrypted memory to a host-controlled block device, breaking the
confidentiality guarantee of the hardware TEE (AMD SEV-SNP, Intel TDX).

The PodVM images use a GPT-partitioned disk with dm-verity on the root
partition. However, the roothash= kernel parameter only disables root
auto-discovery — non-root partitions (swap, /home, /var, /srv, /var/tmp) are
still auto-discovered and mounted. The generator is shipped unmasked in the
RHEL systemd-udev subpackage, and no kernel command line parameter in the
measured UKI addon disables it. Additionally, the PodVM measurement script
captures PCRs 3, 9, 11, and 12, but not PCR 5 (GPT partition table), so
partition table modifications are not detected by remote attestation.
Published: 2026-11-12
Score: 7.9 High
EPSS: n/a
KEV: No
AI Analysis

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Remediation

Vendor Workaround

Add systemd.gpt_auto=0 to the measured kernel command line (UKI addon) to completely disable systemd-gpt-auto-generator. Since the PodVM already uses explicit partition layout and dm-verity, auto-discovery is unnecessary. The patches released are using the following mitigation: `systemd.image_policy=root=open`. Alternative mitigations: - Disable swap specifically: add systemd.swap=0 to the kernel command line - Mask the generator in the guest image: ln -sf /dev/null /etc/systemd/system-generators/systemd-gpt-auto-generator - Include PCR 5 in the PodVM measurement script alongside PCRs 3, 9, 11, 12 - For systemd 254+: set restrictive image policy via systemd.image_policy=root=verity+signed+encrypted+unprotected+absent:swap=absent:home=absent:srv=absent:var=absent:tmp=absent

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History

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 17:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description A flaw was found in the interaction between systemd-gpt-auto-generator and confidential computing guest VM images in OpenShift Sandboxed Containers (confidential peer pods). systemd-gpt-auto-generator automatically discovers and mounts GPT partitions by type GUID at boot with no user confirmation. In the confidential computing threat model, where the host/hypervisor is the adversary, a malicious host can inject partitions into the guest's virtual disk. Most critically, injecting a swap partition causes the guest kernel to page out TEE-encrypted memory to a host-controlled block device, breaking the confidentiality guarantee of the hardware TEE (AMD SEV-SNP, Intel TDX). The PodVM images use a GPT-partitioned disk with dm-verity on the root partition. However, the roothash= kernel parameter only disables root auto-discovery — non-root partitions (swap, /home, /var, /srv, /var/tmp) are still auto-discovered and mounted. The generator is shipped unmasked in the RHEL systemd-udev subpackage, and no kernel command line parameter in the measured UKI addon disables it. Additionally, the PodVM measurement script captures PCRs 3, 9, 11, and 12, but not PCR 5 (GPT partition table), so partition table modifications are not detected by remote attestation.
Title Sandboxed-containers: kernel: systemd-gpt-auto-generator: guest data leakage in confidential computing (sandboxed containers)
First Time appeared Redhat
Redhat enterprise Linux
Redhat openshift
Redhat rhel Els
Weaknesses CWE-359
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:10
cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:8
cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:9
cpe:/a:redhat:openshift:4
cpe:/a:redhat:openshift:5
cpe:/o:redhat:rhel_els:6
cpe:/o:redhat:rhel_els:7
Vendors & Products Redhat
Redhat enterprise Linux
Redhat openshift
Redhat rhel Els
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.9, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N'}


Subscriptions

Redhat Enterprise Linux Openshift Rhel Els
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: redhat

Published:

Updated: 2026-11-12T18:49:52.690Z

Reserved: 2026-11-04T10:34:49.034Z

Link: CVE-2026-121876

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Awaiting Analysis

Published: 2026-11-12T17:17:29.040

Modified: 2026-11-12T17:17:29.170

Link: CVE-2026-121876

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses