CVE-2021-41089

Host permission widening via docker cp

Published Oct 4, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Improper permission preservation in Moby before 20.10.9 allows local users to widen host file access via docker cp into a crafted container. The chrootarchive untarHandler created parent directories outside the intended chroot and applied ownership and mode changes to existing host paths. Exploitation requires Docker control of a specially crafted container; the flaw widens permissions but does not itself read, modify, or execute file contents without a cooperating process.

CVSS severity2.8
Low
EPSS probability0.29%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper permission preservation in Moby before 20.10.9 allows local users to widen host file access via docker cp into a crafted container. The chrootarchive untarHandler created parent directories outside the intended chroot and applied ownership and mode changes to existing host paths. Exploitation requires Docker control of a specially crafted container; the flaw widens permissions but does not itself read, modify, or execute file contents without a cooperating process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-41089
Published
Oct 4, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Moby Project
Product
Moby
Classifications
CWE-281, T1222.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 4, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 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=< 20.10.9

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Moby Project · Mobyversion=< 20.10.9

Published CVSS scores

2.8GitHub CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N
6.3OSV/NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L

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-281Improper Preservation of Permissions
T1222.001File and Directory Permissions Modification: Linux and Mac File and Directory Permissions Modification

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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