CVE-2021-32760

CVE-2021-32760 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linuxfoundation Containerd with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.0. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-732.

Key facts

Description

containerd is a container runtime. A bug was found in containerd versions prior to 1.4.8 and 1.5.4 where pulling and extracting a specially-crafted container image can result in Unix file permission changes for existing files in the host’s filesystem. Changes to file permissions can deny access to the expected owner of the file, widen access to others, or set extended bits like setuid, setgid, and sticky. This bug does not directly allow files to be read, modified, or executed without an additional cooperating process. This bug has been fixed in containerd 1.5.4 and 1.4.8. As a workaround, ensure that users only pull images from trusted sources. Linux security modules (LSMs) like SELinux and AppArmor can limit the files potentially affected by this bug through policies and profiles that prevent containerd from interacting with specific files.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-32760?
containerd is a container runtime. A bug was found in containerd versions prior to 1.4.8 and 1.5.4 where pulling and extracting a specially-crafted container image can result in Unix file permission changes for existing files in the host’s filesystem. Changes to file permissions can deny access to the expected owner of the file, widen access to others, or set extended bits like setuid, setgid, and sticky. This bug does not directly allow files to be read, modified, or executed without an additional cooperating process. This bug has been fixed in containerd 1.5.4 and 1.4.8. As a workaround, ensure that users only pull images from trusted sources. Linux security modules (LSMs) like SELinux and AppArmor can limit the files potentially affected by this bug through policies and profiles that prevent containerd from interacting with specific files.
How severe is CVE-2021-32760?
CVE-2021-32760 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.0, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity low, and availability low.
Is CVE-2021-32760 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (73rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-32760?
CVE-2021-32760 primarily affects Linuxfoundation Containerd. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-32760?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2021-32760 published?
CVE-2021-32760 was published on 2021-07-19 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

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