---
id: CVE-2026-16460
title: >-
  Bootc: ostree: bootc/ostree: staged deployments not revalidated against
  container signature policy before finalization
summary: >-
  A flaw was found in bootc and ostree. Already-staged deployments are finalized
  without revalidating the deployment's container image against the current
  containers signature policy. Unsigned OS content staged under a prior
  permissive pol…
severity: high
cvss: 7.4
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cvssSource: cna
cwe:
  - CWE-345
vendor: Red Hat
product: bootc
affected:
  - bootc
  - ostree
  - rpm-ostree
  - ostree
  - bootc
  - ostree
  - rpm-ostree
  - bootc (all versions)
  - ostree (all versions)
  - ostree
  - rhcos
ssvc:
  exploitation: none
  automatable: 'no'
  technicalImpact: total
  timestamp: '2026-10-19T17:30:04.698872Z'
published: '2026-10-19'
updated: '2026-10-19'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-19T17:30:27.256Z'
source: CVEORG
sourceUrl: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-16460'
references:
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-16460'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2503167'
    label: RHBZ#2503167
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-16460.json
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-16460'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-16460'
tags:
  - cve.org
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
epss: 0.00078
epssPercentile: 0.00111
ingestedAt: '2026-10-19T07:09:59.594Z'
---

## Overview

A flaw was found in bootc and ostree. Already-staged deployments are finalized without revalidating the deployment's container image against the current containers signature policy. Unsigned OS content staged under a prior permissive policy can remain bootable after policy is hardened to reject unsigned images, leading to full host compromise on reboot.

## Affected

- `bootc`
- `ostree`
- `rpm-ostree`
- `ostree`
- `bootc`
- `ostree`
- `rpm-ostree`
- `bootc (all versions)`
- `ostree (all versions)`
- `ostree`
- `rhcos`

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.

### Workarounds

Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base, or stability.

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Important · affected: Red Hat Hardened Images · no fix planned: Red Hat Hardened Images · updated 2026-10-19 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-16460.json)