containerd up to 1.7.34/2.0.11/2.2.7/2.3.4 layer unpack handler path traversal

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in containerd up to 1.7.34/2.0.11/2.2.7/2.3.4. Impacted is the function layer unpack handler. Performing a manipulation results in path traversal. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-95838. The attack may be initiated remotely. There is no available exploit. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in containerd up to 1.7.34/2.0.11/2.2.7/2.3.4. This affects the function layer unpack handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a path traversal vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-22. The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory. This is going to have an impact on availability. The summary by CVE is:

containerd is an open-source container runtime. Prior to 1.7.35, 2.0.12, 2.2.8, and 2.3.5, containerd's layer unpack handler repeatedly traverses directories for certain opaque whiteout configurations. A malicious image layer can trigger repeated directory traversals while opaque whiteouts are processed. Pulling or importing the image can consume CPU, delay container startup, and reduce image-pull concurrency for unrelated deployments. This issue is fixed in versions 1.7.35, 2.0.12, 2.2.8, and 2.3.5.

The advisory is shared at github.com. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2026-95838 since 09/22/2026. The exploitability is told to be easy. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available. MITRE ATT&CK project uses the attack technique T1006 for this issue.

Upgrading to version 1.7.35, 2.0.12, 2.2.8 or 2.3.5 eliminates this vulnerability.

If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Productinfo

Type

• Virtualization Software

Name

• containerd

Version

• 1.7.0
• 1.7.1
• 1.7.2
• 1.7.3
• 1.7.4
• 1.7.5
• 1.7.6
• 1.7.7
• 1.7.8
• 1.7.9
• 1.7.10
• 1.7.11
• 1.7.12
• 1.7.13
• 1.7.14
• 1.7.15
• 1.7.16
• 1.7.17
• 1.7.18
• 1.7.19
• 1.7.20
• 1.7.21
• 1.7.22
• 1.7.23
• 1.7.24
• 1.7.25
• 1.7.26
• 1.7.27
• 1.7.28
• 1.7.29
• 1.7.30
• 1.7.31
• 1.7.32
• 1.7.33
• 1.7.34
• 2.0.0
• 2.0.1
• 2.0.2
• 2.0.3
• 2.0.4
• 2.0.5
• 2.0.6
• 2.0.7
• 2.0.8
• 2.0.9
• 2.0.10
• 2.0.11
• 2.2.0
• 2.2.1
• 2.2.2
• 2.2.3
• 2.2.4
• 2.2.5
• 2.2.6
• 2.2.7
• 2.3.0
• 2.3.1
• 2.3.2
• 2.3.3
• 2.3.4

Website

• Product: https://github.com/containerd/containerd/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CVSSv4info

CVSSv3info

CVSSv2info

Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Countermeasuresinfo

Timelineinfo

Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Discussion