CVE-2023-25173: Github.com/containerd/containerd Supplementary Groups Are Not Set Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-hmfx-3pcx-653p
CVSS 5.3
CWE-269 CWE-863
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2023-25173 is a MODERATE (CVSS 5.3) supplementary groups are not set vulnerability (CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management) affecting Github.com/containerd/containerd libraries in the Go ecosystem. The issue involves supplementary groups are not set up properly in github.com/containerd/containerd. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.5.18, 1.6.18.

CVE-2023-25173 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2023-25173
GHSA Identifier GHSA-hmfx-3pcx-653p
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 5.3
CWE Classification CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management
Affected Product Github.com/containerd/containerd
Package Ecosystem Go
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 5.3

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L).

Attack Vector Local (AV:L)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality Low (C:L)
Integrity Low (I:L)
Availability Low (A:L)

How to Fix CVE-2023-25173

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Github.com/containerd/containerd dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

github.com/containerd/containerd fixed: 1.5.18
Upgrade github.com/containerd/containerd to 1.5.18
github.com/containerd/containerd fixed: 1.6.18
Upgrade github.com/containerd/containerd to 1.6.18
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:

inspect dependencies for github.com/containerd/containerd

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2023-25173, inspect your project dependencies for Github.com/containerd/containerd:

inspect dependencies for github.com/containerd/containerd

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Github.com/containerd/containerd in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 1.5.18), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management, where the product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor. In Github.com/containerd/containerd, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

### Impact A bug was found in containerd where supplementary groups are not set up properly inside a container. If an attacker has direct access to a container and manipulates their supplementary group access, they may be able to use supplementary group access to bypass primary group restrictions in some cases, potentially gaining access to sensitive information or gaining the ability to execute code in that container. Downstream applications that use the containerd client library may be affected as well. ### Patches This bug has been fixed in containerd v1.6.18 and v.1.5.18. Users should update to these versions and recreate containers to resolve this issue. Users who rely on a downstream application that uses containerd's client library should check that application for a separate advisory and instructions. ### Workarounds Ensure that the `"USER $USERNAME"` Dockerfile instruction is not used. Instead, set the container entrypoint to a value similar to `ENTRYPOINT ["su", "-", "user"]` to allow `su` to properly set up supplementary groups. ### References - https://www.benthamsgaze.org/2022/08/22/vulnerability-in-linux-containers-investigation-and-mitigation/ - Docker/Moby: CVE-2022-36109, fixed in Docker 20.10.18 - CRI-O: CVE-2022-2995, fixed in CRI-O 1.25.0 - Podman: CVE-2022-2989, fixed in Podman 3.0.1 and 4.2.0 - Buildah: CVE-2022-2990, fixed in Buildah 1.27.1 Note that CVE IDs apply to a particular implementation, even if an issue is common. ### For more information If you have any questions or comments about this advisory: * Open an issue in [containerd](https://github.com/containerd/containerd/issues/new/choose) * Email us at [security@containerd.io](mailto:security@containerd.io) To report a security issue in containerd: * [Report a new vulnerability](https://github.com/containerd/containerd/security/advisories/new) * Email us at [security@containerd.io](mailto:security@containerd.io)

CVE-2023-25173 Affected Github.com/containerd/containerd Versions

2 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
1.5.181.6.18
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
github.com/containerd/containerd
Go
< 1.5.18
1.5.18
github.com/containerd/containerd
Go
≥ 1.6.0
< 1.6.18
1.6.18

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/containerd/containerd/security/advisories/GHSA-hmfx-3pcx-653p
GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/moby/moby/security/advisories/GHSA-rc4r-wh2q-q6c4
NVD — CVE-2023-25173 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-25173
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/containerd/containerd/commit/133f6bb6cd827ce35a5fb279c1ead12b9d21460a
GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-4wjj-jwc9-2x96
GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-fjm8-m7m6-2fjp
GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-phjr-8j92-w5v7
Github.com/containerd/containerd Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/containerd/containerd
Github.com/containerd/containerd Release RELEASE
https://github.com/containerd/containerd/releases/tag/v1.5.18
Github.com/containerd/containerd Release RELEASE
https://github.com/containerd/containerd/releases/tag/v1.6.18
lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/packa... WEB
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/LYZOKMMVX4SIEHPJW3SJUQGMO5YZCPHC
lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/packa... WEB
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/XNF4OLYZRQE75EB5TW5N42FSXHBXGWFE
lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/packa... WEB
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/ZTE4ITXXPIWZEQ4HYQCB6N6GZIMWXDAI
pkg.go.dev/vuln/go-2023-1574 WEB
https://pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2023-1574
www.benthamsgaze.org/2022/08/22/vulnerab... WEB
https://www.benthamsgaze.org/2022/08/22/vulnerability-in-linux-containers-investigation-and-mitigation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-25173?
CVE-2023-25173 is a security vulnerability in Github.com/containerd/containerd involving Supplementary groups are not set up properly in github.com/containerd/containerd under CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management.
Which Github.com/containerd/containerd versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 1.5.18, 1.6.18 across affected packages: github.com/containerd/containerd.
What version fixes CVE-2023-25173?
Upgrading to 1.5.18, 1.6.18 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is github.com/containerd/containerd affected?
Yes, github.com/containerd/containerd is affected in releases prior to 1.5.18, 1.6.18. Upgrade your dependency to 1.5.18, 1.6.18 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2023-25173?
CVE-2023-25173 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.3 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2023-25173?
CVE-2023-25173 is classified under CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management (The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.).
How can I check Go dependencies for CVE-2023-25173?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for github.com/containerd/containerd'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-hmfx-3pcx-653p",
  "modified" : "2024-09-06T21:37:04Z",
  "published" : "2023-02-16T14:11:33Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2023-25173" ],
  "summary" : "Supplementary groups are not set up properly in github.com/containerd/containerd",
  "details" : "### Impact\n\nA bug was found in containerd where supplementary groups are not set up properly inside a container.  If an attacker has direct access to a container and manipulates their supplementary group access, they may be able to use supplementary group access to bypass primary group restrictions in some cases, potentially gaining access to sensitive information or gaining the ability to execute code in that container.\n\nDownstream applications that use the containerd client library may be affected as well.\n\n### Patches\nThis bug has been fixed in containerd v1.6.18 and v.1.5.18.  Users should update to these versions and recreate containers to resolve this issue.  Users who rely on a downstream application that uses containerd's client library should check that application for a separate advisory and instructions.\n\n### Workarounds\n\nEnsure that the `\"USER $USERNAME\"` Dockerfile instruction is not used.  Instead, set the container entrypoint to a value similar to `ENTRYPOINT [\"su\", \"-\", \"user\"]` to allow `su` to properly set up supplementary groups.\n\n### References\n\n- https://www.benthamsgaze.org/2022/08/22/vulnerability-in-linux-containers-investigation-and-mitigation/\n- Docker/Moby: CVE-2022-36109, fixed in Docker 20.10.18\n- CRI-O: CVE-2022-2995, fixed in CRI-O 1.25.0\n- Podman: CVE-2022-2989, fixed in Podman 3.0.1 and 4.2.0\n- Buildah: CVE-2022-2990, fixed in Buildah 1.27.1\n\nNote that CVE IDs apply to a particular implementation, even if an issue is common.\n\n### For more information\n\nIf you have any questions or comments about this advisory:\n\n* Open an issue in [containerd](https://github.com/containerd/containerd/issues/new/choose)\n* Email us at [security@containerd.io](mailto:security@containerd.io)\n\nTo report a security issue in containerd:\n* [Report a new vulnerability](https://github.com/containerd/containerd/security/advisories/new)\n* Email us at [security@containerd.io](mailto:security@containerd.io)",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
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      "name" : "github.com/containerd/containerd"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
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      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/containerd/containerd"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "1.6.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.6.18"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/containerd/containerd/security/advisories/GHSA-hmfx-3pcx-653p"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/moby/moby/security/advisories/GHSA-rc4r-wh2q-q6c4"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-25173"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/containerd/containerd/commit/133f6bb6cd827ce35a5fb279c1ead12b9d21460a"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-4wjj-jwc9-2x96"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-fjm8-m7m6-2fjp"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-phjr-8j92-w5v7"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/containerd/containerd"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/containerd/containerd/releases/tag/v1.5.18"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/containerd/containerd/releases/tag/v1.6.18"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/LYZOKMMVX4SIEHPJW3SJUQGMO5YZCPHC"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/XNF4OLYZRQE75EB5TW5N42FSXHBXGWFE"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/ZTE4ITXXPIWZEQ4HYQCB6N6GZIMWXDAI"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2023-1574"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.benthamsgaze.org/2022/08/22/vulnerability-in-linux-containers-investigation-and-mitigation"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-269", "CWE-863" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2023-02-16T14:11:33Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2023-02-16T15:15:00Z"
  }
}