CVE-2020-2023: Github.com/kata containers/agent Improper Privilege Management And Execution Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-6978-vg2j-cc9q
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CVSS 9.8
CWE-269 CWE-250
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2020-2023 is a MODERATE (CVSS 9.8) improper privilege management and execution vulnerability (CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management) affecting Github.com/kata containers/agent libraries in the Go ecosystem. The issue involves improper privilege management and execution with unnecessary privileges in kata containers. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.9.1, 1.10.5, 1.11.1.

CVE-2020-2023 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2020-2023
GHSA Identifier GHSA-6978-vg2j-cc9q
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 9.8
CWE Classification CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management
Affected Product Github.com/kata containers/agent
Package Ecosystem Go
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 9.8

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

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

How to Fix CVE-2020-2023

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Github.com/kata containers/agent 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/kata-containers/agent fixed: 1.9.1 
Upgrade github.com/kata-containers/agent to 1.9.1
github.com/kata-containers/agent fixed: 1.10.5 
Upgrade github.com/kata-containers/agent to 1.10.5
github.com/kata-containers/agent fixed: 1.11.1 
Upgrade github.com/kata-containers/agent to 1.11.1
github.com/kata-containers/runtime fixed: 1.9.1 
Upgrade github.com/kata-containers/runtime to 1.9.1
github.com/kata-containers/runtime fixed: 1.10.5 
Upgrade github.com/kata-containers/runtime to 1.10.5
github.com/kata-containers/runtime fixed: 1.11.1 
Upgrade github.com/kata-containers/runtime to 1.11.1
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/kata-containers/agent

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2020-2023, inspect your project dependencies for Github.com/kata containers/agent:

inspect dependencies for github.com/kata-containers/agent

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Github.com/kata containers/agent in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 1.9.1), 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/kata containers/agent, 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

Kata Containers doesn't restrict containers from accessing the guest's root filesystem device. Malicious containers can exploit this to gain code execution on the guest and masquerade as the kata-agent. This issue affects Kata Containers 1.11 versions earlier than 1.11.1; Kata Containers 1.10 versions earlier than 1.10.5; and Kata Containers 1.9 and earlier versions.

CVE-2020-2023 Affected Github.com/kata containers/agent Versions

6 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
1.9.11.10.51.11.1
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
github.com/kata-containers/agent
golang/github.com/kata-containers/agent
Go
< 1.9.1
1.9.1
github.com/kata-containers/agent
golang/github.com/kata-containers/agent
Go
≥ 1.10.0
< 1.10.5
1.10.5
github.com/kata-containers/agent
golang/github.com/kata-containers/agent
Go
≥ 1.11.0
< 1.11.1
1.11.1
github.com/kata-containers/runtime
golang/github.com/kata-containers/runtime
Go
< 1.9.1
1.9.1
github.com/kata-containers/runtime
golang/github.com/kata-containers/runtime
Go
≥ 1.10.0
< 1.10.5
1.10.5
github.com/kata-containers/runtime
golang/github.com/kata-containers/runtime
Go
≥ 1.11.0
< 1.11.1
1.11.1

References

NVD — CVE-2020-2023 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-2023
Github.com/kata containers/agent Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/kata-containers/agent/issues/791
Github.com/kata containers/agent Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/kata-containers/runtime/issues/2488
Github.com/kata containers/agent Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/kata-containers/agent/pull/792
Github.com/kata containers/agent Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/kata-containers/runtime/pull/2477
Github.com/kata containers/agent Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/kata-containers/runtime/pull/2487
Github.com/kata containers/agent Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/kata-containers
Github.com/kata containers/agent Release RELEASE
https://github.com/kata-containers/runtime/releases/tag/1.10.5
Github.com/kata containers/agent Release RELEASE
https://github.com/kata-containers/runtime/releases/tag/1.11.1

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-2023?
CVE-2020-2023 is a security vulnerability in Github.com/kata containers/agent involving Improper Privilege Management and Execution with Unnecessary Privileges in Kata Containers under CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management.
Which Github.com/kata containers/agent versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 1.9.1, 1.10.5, 1.11.1 across affected packages: github.com/kata-containers/agent, github.com/kata-containers/runtime.
What version fixes CVE-2020-2023?
Upgrading to 1.9.1, 1.10.5, 1.11.1 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is github.com/kata-containers/agent affected?
Yes, github.com/kata-containers/agent is affected in releases prior to 1.9.1, 1.10.5, 1.11.1. Upgrade your dependency to 1.9.1, 1.10.5, 1.11.1 or later.
Is github.com/kata-containers/runtime affected?
Yes, github.com/kata-containers/runtime is affected in releases prior to 1.9.1, 1.10.5, 1.11.1. Upgrade your dependency to 1.9.1, 1.10.5, 1.11.1 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2020-2023?
CVE-2020-2023 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2020-2023?
CVE-2020-2023 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-2020-2023?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for github.com/kata-containers/agent'. 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
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-6978-vg2j-cc9q",
  "modified" : "2021-10-20T17:38:18Z",
  "published" : "2022-02-15T01:57:18Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2020-2023" ],
  "summary" : "Improper Privilege Management and Execution with Unnecessary Privileges in Kata Containers",
  "details" : "Kata Containers doesn't restrict containers from accessing the guest's root filesystem device. Malicious containers can exploit this to gain code execution on the guest and masquerade as the kata-agent. This issue affects Kata Containers 1.11 versions earlier than 1.11.1; Kata Containers 1.10 versions earlier than 1.10.5; and Kata Containers 1.9 and earlier versions.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
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  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
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    },
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      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
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      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.9.1"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
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    }
  }, {
    "package" : {
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      "name" : "github.com/kata-containers/agent"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "1.10.0"
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      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/kata-containers/agent"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "1.11.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.11.1"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/kata-containers/runtime"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
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    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 1.9"
    }
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/kata-containers/runtime"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "1.10.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.10.5"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/kata-containers/runtime"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "1.11.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.11.1"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-2023"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kata-containers/agent/issues/791"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kata-containers/runtime/issues/2488"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kata-containers/agent/pull/792"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kata-containers/runtime/pull/2477"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kata-containers/runtime/pull/2487"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kata-containers"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kata-containers/runtime/releases/tag/1.10.5"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kata-containers/runtime/releases/tag/1.11.1"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-250", "CWE-269" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2021-05-13T19:41:22Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2020-06-10T18:15:00Z"
  }
}