CVE-2023-30549

Host-kernel crash via setuid extfs mounting

Published Apr 25, 2023 · Updated Mar 5, 2025

Use-after-free exposure in Apptainer before 1.1.8 allows local users to crash the host kernel through a crafted extfs image. In setuid-root mode, Apptainer passes attacker-writable extfs data to the kernel ext4 driver, which can access freed objects while the image remains mutable. The gate is a setuid-root installation on an older kernel lacking the ext4 fix; a kernel crash is the confirmed impact, while privilege escalation is unconfirmed.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.37%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free exposure in Apptainer before 1.1.8 allows local users to crash the host kernel through a crafted extfs image. In setuid-root mode, Apptainer passes attacker-writable extfs data to the kernel ext4 driver, which can access freed objects while the image remains mutable. The gate is a setuid-root installation on an older kernel lacking the ext4 fix; a kernel crash is the confirmed impact, while privilege escalation is unconfirmed.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-30549
Published
Apr 25, 2023
Updated
Mar 5, 2025
Vendor
Apptainer Project
Product
Apptainer
Classifications
CWE-416, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 25, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 5, 2025Record 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=< 1.1.8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apptainer Project · Apptainerversion=< 1.1.8

Published CVSS scores

7.1GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/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.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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