Host file disclosure via unvalidated checkpoint symlink
Published Jul 1, 2026 · Updated Jul 1, 2026
Symlink following in the CRI plugin in containerd allows local users to read arbitrary host files through restored checkpoint logs. The checkpoint importer copied container.log after opening its archive-supplied path without rejecting a symlink, so the log reader exposed the host target. Exploitation requires control of an untrusted checkpoint image and access to the resulting container logs; the demonstrated impact is file disclosure only.
Summary
What happened
Symlink following in the CRI plugin in containerd allows local users to read arbitrary host files through restored checkpoint logs. The checkpoint importer copied container.log after opening its archive-supplied path without rejecting a symlink, so the log reader exposed the host target. Exploitation requires control of an untrusted checkpoint image and access to the resulting container logs; the demonstrated impact is file disclosure only.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-53489
- Published
- Jul 1, 2026
- Updated
- Jul 1, 2026
- Vendor
- containerd
- Product
- containerd
- Classifications
- CWE-61, T1005
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 1, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jul 1, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=>= 2.1.0, < 2.1.9
- Affected versionversion=>= 2.2.0, < 2.2.5
- Affected versionversion=>= 2.3.0, < 2.3.2
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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