CVE-2021-41190Network attack vector

Client interpretation manipulation via Content-Type confusion

Published Nov 17, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Type confusion in Open Container Initiative OCI Distribution Specification 1.0.0 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to alter interpretation. Push and pull processing trusted the HTTP Content-Type header, so one JSON document containing overlapping manifest and index fields could assume different types without changing its digest. A registry-controlled header change and a subsequent client pull are required; the bounded impact is inconsistent interpretation of container metadata.

CVSS severity3.0
Low
EPSS probability2.24%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Type confusion in Open Container Initiative OCI Distribution Specification 1.0.0 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to alter interpretation. Push and pull processing trusted the HTTP Content-Type header, so one JSON document containing overlapping manifest and index fields could assume different types without changing its digest. A registry-controlled header change and a subsequent client pull are required; the bounded impact is inconsistent interpretation of container metadata.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-41190
Published
Nov 17, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Open Container Initiative
Product
OCI Distribution Specification
Classifications
CWE-843
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 17, 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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=< 1.0.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Open Container Initiative · OCI Distribution Specificationversion=< 1.0.1

Published CVSS scores

5.0NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:N
3.0GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:N

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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-843Access of Resource Using Incompatible Type ('Type Confusion')

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo