GHSA-xhf5-7wjv-pqxp
GHSA-xhf5-7wjv-pqxp is a Improper Input Validation vulnerability in github.com/containerd/containerd. O3 Security confirms whether GHSA-xhf5-7wjv-pqxp is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
containerd CRI — image-config `LABEL` flows to restart-monitor `binary://` logger: host-root command execution from an image pull
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 GHSA-xhf5-7wjv-pqxp.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Real-World Exposure
github.com/containerd/containerd🐹github.com/containerd/containerd/v2🐹github.com/containerd/containerd/v2🐹github.com/containerd/containerd/v2🐹github.com/containerd/containerd/v2Real-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
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐹Go | github.com/containerd/containerd | ≥ 1.7.0&&< 1.7.33 | 1.7.33 |
| 🐹Go | github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 | ≥ 2.0.0&&< 2.0.10 | 2.0.10 |
| 🐹Go | github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 | ≥ 2.1.0&&< 2.1.9 | 2.1.9 |
| 🐹Go | github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 | ≥ 2.2.0&&< 2.2.5 | 2.2.5 |
| 🐹Go | github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 | ≥ 2.3.0&&< 2.3.2 | 2.3.2 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for github.com/containerd/containerd. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
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 GHSA-xhf5-7wjv-pqxp 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.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether GHSA-xhf5-7wjv-pqxp is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to GHSA-xhf5-7wjv-pqxp. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
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.
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…
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-xhf5-7wjv-pqxp in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-xhf5-7wjv-pqxp across Go dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.