CVE-2021-3101

Container escape via unconstrained Java process launch

Published Apr 19, 2022 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Container escape in Amazon Web Services Hotdog before 1.0.1 allows local users in containers to execute code with full host privileges. The OCI post-start hook enters a container and launches its java binary without matching the target JVM's Linux capabilities or SELinux label. A malicious container only needs a binary named java; Hotdog invokes it with excessive host privileges, allowing control of the underlying Linux host.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.39%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Container escape in Amazon Web Services Hotdog before 1.0.1 allows local users in containers to execute code with full host privileges. The OCI post-start hook enters a container and launches its java binary without matching the target JVM's Linux capabilities or SELinux label. A malicious container only needs a binary named java; Hotdog invokes it with excessive host privileges, allowing control of the underlying Linux host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-3101
Published
Apr 19, 2022
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
Amazon Web Services
Product
Hotdog
Classifications
CWE-269, T1611
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 19, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <1.0.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Amazon Web Services · Hotdogversion=unspecified <1.0.1

Published CVSS scores

8.8Palo Alto Networks, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
T1611Escape to Host

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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