CVE-2026-53492
CVE-2026-53492 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Linuxfoundation Containerd with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.6. 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-20.
Key facts
- Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.6)
- CVSS v4: 8.4
- EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (33rd percentile)
- Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
- Weakness: CWE-20
- Affected product: Linuxfoundation Containerd
- Published:
- Last modified:
Description
containerd is an open-source container runtime. In Versions prior to 2.3.2, 2.2.5 and 2.1.9, the CRI implementation improperly trusts Container Device Interface (CDI) annotations found within untrusted checkpoint image metadata during container restoration. When restoring a container from a checkpoint, containerd preserves CDI-related annotations from the checkpoint archive rather than relying solely on the pod's create-time specification. This allows a user with pod creation permissions to bypass standard Kubernetes resource allocation and device plugin enforcement, injecting arbitrary CDI edits (such as device nodes and host mounts) into the restored container. Successful exploitation requires that the node has CDI enabled and contains a matching host CDI specification for the requested device; environments where CDI is disabled or lacking sensitive device specifications are not affected. This issue has been fixed in versions 2.3.2, 2.2.5 and 2.1.9.
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2026-53492?
- containerd is an open-source container runtime. In Versions prior to 2.3.2, 2.2.5 and 2.1.9, the CRI implementation improperly trusts Container Device Interface (CDI) annotations found within untrusted checkpoint image metadata during container restoration. When restoring a container from a checkpoint, containerd preserves CDI-related annotations from the checkpoint archive rather than relying solely on the pod's create-time specification. This allows a user with pod creation permissions to bypass standard Kubernetes resource allocation and device plugin enforcement, injecting arbitrary CDI edits (such as device nodes and host mounts) into the restored container. Successful exploitation requires that the node has CDI enabled and contains a matching host CDI specification for the requested device; environments where CDI is disabled or lacking sensitive device specifications are not affected. This issue has been fixed in versions 2.3.2, 2.2.5 and 2.1.9.
- How severe is CVE-2026-53492?
- CVE-2026-53492 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.6, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.
- Is CVE-2026-53492 being actively exploited?
- It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (33rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- What products are affected by CVE-2026-53492?
- CVE-2026-53492 affects Linuxfoundation Containerd. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-53492?
- Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
- When was CVE-2026-53492 published?
- CVE-2026-53492 was published on 2026-07-01 and last updated on 2026-07-02.
References
Affected products (1)
- cpe:2.3:a:linuxfoundation:containerd:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
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