How severe is CVE-2026-53488?

No CVSS score has been assigned to CVE-2026-53488 yet. Review the advisory details and affected package list to assess your exposure.

Which packages are affected by CVE-2026-53488?

CVE-2026-53488 affects the following packages: github.com/containerd/containerd (Go), github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (Go), github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (Go), github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (Go), github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (Go). Ecosystems affected: Go.

How do I fix CVE-2026-53488?

Update github.com/containerd/containerd to 1.7.33 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-53488 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

How do I detect CVE-2026-53488 in my Go dependencies?

Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for github.com/containerd/containerd, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.

How do I mitigate CVE-2026-53488 if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.

Is CVE-2026-53488 actively exploited in the wild?

No public exploit code has been indexed for CVE-2026-53488 yet. This does not mean the vulnerability cannot be exploited — absence of public exploits does not imply safety. Apply the recommended fix and use O3 Security to monitor your exposure.

What is the EPSS score for CVE-2026-53488?

CVE-2026-53488 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 0.2%, placing it in the 5th percentile of all CVEs. EPSS is maintained by FIRST.org and estimates the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. This score indicates relatively lower exploitation probability, though the CVSS severity should still guide your patching priority.

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2026-53488?

CVE-2026-53488 is classified as Improper Input Validation (CWE-20). This weakness type describe the underlying flaw category, which helps determine the potential impact and the right class of mitigation.

When was CVE-2026-53488 published, and has it been updated?

CVE-2026-53488 was published on July 1, 2026 and was last updated on August 12, 2026. Advisory data evolves as severity scores, affected ranges, and exploit intelligence are revised — always check the latest version of the advisory before acting.

🐹 Go

Not in CISA KEV

CVE-2026-53488 — containerd

CVE-2026-53488 is a Improper Input Validation vulnerability in github.com/containerd/containerd. A fix is available for github.com/containerd/containerd — see the affected versions and patch details below.

containerd CRI plugin: — image-config `LABEL` flows to restart-monitor `binary://` logger: host-root command execution from an image pull

Also known asGHSA-xhf5-7wjv-pqxpGO-2026-5758

Published

Jul 1, 2026

Updated

Aug 12, 2026

Affected

5 pkgs

Patched

5 / 5

Exploits

None indexed

Exploitation data as of Sep 28, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, FIRST.org (EPSS)

Exploitation Status

No confirmed exploitation observed yet

A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.

Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2026-53488.

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

0.2%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Lower Risk0.00%

Lower risk than most CVEs5th percentile — riskier than 5% of all scored CVEsHighest risk

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.

Real-World Exposure

5 pkgs affected

🐹github.com/containerd/containerd🐹github.com/containerd/containerd/v2🐹github.com/containerd/containerd/v2🐹github.com/containerd/containerd/v2🐹github.com/containerd/containerd/v2

Real-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Go packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.

Description

Impact

A bug was found in containerd where the CRI plugin propagates labels from an image config (LABEL instruction in Dockerfile) to a container without validation. This may result in executing an arbitrary command on the host, via a plugin that consumes container labels for some operations.

Patches

This bug has been fixed in the following containerd versions:

2.3.2
2.2.5
2.1.9
2.0.10
1.7.33

Users should update to these versions to resolve the issue.

Workarounds

Ensure that only trusted images are used.

Credits

The containerd project would like to thank Anthropic Research, in collaboration with Claude, the GKE Security Team using Gemini, and Robert Prast (@robertprast) for independently discovering and responsibly disclosing this issue in accordance with the containerd security policy.

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

Open an issue in containerd
Email us at [email protected]

To report a security issue in containerd:

Report a new vulnerability
Email us at [email protected]

Affected Packages

5 total 5 fixed

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
🐹Go	`github.com/containerd/containerd`	≥ 1.7.0&&< 1.7.33	1.7.33`go get github.com/containerd/containerd@v1.7.33`
🐹Go	`github.com/containerd/containerd/v2`	≥ 2.0.0&&< 2.0.10	2.0.10`go get github.com/containerd/containerd/v2@v2.0.10`
🐹Go	`github.com/containerd/containerd/v2`	≥ 2.1.0&&< 2.1.9	2.1.9`go get github.com/containerd/containerd/v2@v2.1.9`
🐹Go	`github.com/containerd/containerd/v2`	≥ 2.2.0&&< 2.2.5	2.2.5`go get github.com/containerd/containerd/v2@v2.2.5`
🐹Go	`github.com/containerd/containerd/v2`	≥ 2.3.0&&< 2.3.2	2.3.2`go get github.com/containerd/containerd/v2@v2.3.2`

Affected Products

1 product · 5 configurations

Application

containerdlinuxfoundation

≥ 2.3.0 && < 2.3.2

range

Detection & mitigation playbook

Open-source dependency

Detect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for github.com/containerd/containerd, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update github.com/containerd/containerd to 1.7.33 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-53488 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.

Fixing This On Your OS

If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.

Red HatImportant

A flaw was found in containerd where the CRI plugin propagates labels from an image configuration (LABEL instruction in a Dockerfile) to a container without validation. This may result in executing an arbitrary command on the host via a plugin that consumes container labels for operations, such as the restart-monitor…

Workaround published by Red Hat

Restrict container image pulls to trusted registries using admission policies or image signature verification. Where containerd is used as the container runtime, disable or restrict the binary:// logger URI scheme in the containerd configuration to prevent the label-to-logger attack path.

Source: Red Hat security advisory for CVE-2026-53488 (CC BY 4.0)

Product	Fixed in	Advisory
multicluster engine for Kubernetes 2.10	`multicluster-engine/assisted-installer-agent-rhel9:1783592566`	RHSA-2026:37252
multicluster engine for Kubernetes 2.6	`multicluster-engine/assisted-installer-controller-rhel8:1783407939`	RHSA-2026:36105
multicluster engine for Kubernetes 2.6	`multicluster-engine/assisted-service-9-rhel9:1783333268`	RHSA-2026:36167
Multicluster Global Hub 1.4.9	`multicluster-globalhub/multicluster-globalhub-agent-rhel9:1784061472`	RHSA-2026:41030
Multicluster Global Hub 1.5.8	`multicluster-globalhub/multicluster-globalhub-agent-rhel9:1784127491`	RHSA-2026:42852
Multicluster Global Hub 1.6.5	`multicluster-globalhub/multicluster-globalhub-agent-rhel9:1784152046`	RHSA-2026:44622
Multicluster Global Hub 1.7.3	`multicluster-globalhub/multicluster-globalhub-agent-rhel9:1784768332`	RHSA-2026:47149
Multicluster Global Hub 1.7.3	`multicluster-globalhub/multicluster-globalhub-agent-rhel9:1785775948`	RHSA-2026:53530

UbuntuHIGH

USN-8472-1Ubuntu USN-8471-1Ubuntu USN-8473-1Ubuntu

Frequently Asked Questions

### Impact A bug was found in containerd where the CRI plugin propagates labels from an image config (`LABEL` instruction in Dockerfile) to a container without validation. This may result in executing an arbitrary command on the host, via a plugin that consumes container labels for some operations. ### Patches This bug has been fixed in the following containerd versions: * 2.3.2 * 2.2.5 * 2.1.9 * 2.0.10 * 1.7.33 Users should update to these versions to resolve the issue. ### Workarounds Ensure that only trusted images are used. ### Credits The containerd project would like to thank Anthro

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