CVE-2021-32760 [Medium] | Security Vulnerability in Containerd

containerd is a container runtime. A bug was found in containerd versions prior to 1.4.8 and 1.5.4 where pulling and extracting a specially-crafted container image can result in Unix file permission changes for existing files in the host’s filesystem. Changes to file permissions can deny access to the expected owner of the file, widen access to others, or set extended bits like setuid, setgid, and sticky. This bug does not directly allow files to be read, modified, or executed without an additional cooperating process. This bug has been fixed in containerd 1.5.4 and 1.4.8. As a workaround, ensure that users only pull images from trusted sources. Linux security modules (LSMs) like SELinux and AppArmor can limit the files potentially affected by this bug through policies and profiles that prevent containerd from interacting with specific files.

#	Date	Old EPSS score	New EPSS score	Delta (New - Old)
1	2026-06-15	0.07%	1.61%	+1.54%
2	2025-11-21	0.29%	0.07%	-0.22%
3	2025-11-18	—	0.29%	—

Date

Old EPSS score

New EPSS score

Delta (New - Old)

2026-06-15

0.07%

1.61%

+1.54%

2025-11-21

0.29%

0.07%

-0.22%

2025-11-18

—

0.29%

—

Base score	Version	Severity	Vector	Exploitability	Impact	Score source
5.0	3.1	MEDIUM	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L` Click to expand Attack vector (AV:N) Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine. Attack complexity (AC:H) Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work. Privileges required (PR:N) No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough. User interaction (UI:R) A real person has to do something—click, install, enable—otherwise it doesn’t land. Scope (S:U) Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems. Confidentiality (C:L) Some sensitive info could get out, but not a total data dump. Integrity (I:L) Attackers could change some data, but it’s limited—not everything goes. Availability (A:L) Might cause slowdowns, glitches, or partial disruption—not a full brick.	1.6	3.4	[email protected]
6.3	3.1	MEDIUM	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L` Click to expand Attack vector (AV:N) Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine. Attack complexity (AC:L) Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup. Privileges required (PR:N) No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough. User interaction (UI:R) A real person has to do something—click, install, enable—otherwise it doesn’t land. Scope (S:U) Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems. Confidentiality (C:L) Some sensitive info could get out, but not a total data dump. Integrity (I:L) Attackers could change some data, but it’s limited—not everything goes. Availability (A:L) Might cause slowdowns, glitches, or partial disruption—not a full brick.	2.8	3.4	[email protected]
6.8	2.0	MEDIUM	`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P` Click to expand Access vector (AV:N) Can be exploited remotely over network reachability. Access complexity (AC:M) Exploitation needs some favorable conditions, but not exceptional ones. Authentication (AU:N) No authentication is required. Confidentiality impact (C:P) Partial confidentiality impact. Integrity impact (I:P) Partial integrity impact. Availability impact (A:P) Partial availability impact.	8.6	6.4	[email protected]

Base score

Version

Severity

Vector

Exploitability

Impact

Score source

5.0

3.1

MEDIUM

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L Click to expand

Attack vector (AV:N): Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:H): Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
Privileges required (PR:N): No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:R): A real person has to do something—click, install, enable—otherwise it doesn’t land.
Scope (S:U): Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:L): Some sensitive info could get out, but not a total data dump.
Integrity (I:L): Attackers could change some data, but it’s limited—not everything goes.
Availability (A:L): Might cause slowdowns, glitches, or partial disruption—not a full brick.

1.6

3.4

[email protected]

6.3

3.1

MEDIUM

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L Click to expand

Attack vector (AV:N): Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L): Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N): No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:R): A real person has to do something—click, install, enable—otherwise it doesn’t land.
Scope (S:U): Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:L): Some sensitive info could get out, but not a total data dump.
Integrity (I:L): Attackers could change some data, but it’s limited—not everything goes.
Availability (A:L): Might cause slowdowns, glitches, or partial disruption—not a full brick.

2.8

3.4

[email protected]

6.8

2.0

MEDIUM

AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P Click to expand

Access vector (AV:N): Can be exploited remotely over network reachability.
Access complexity (AC:M): Exploitation needs some favorable conditions, but not exceptional ones.
Authentication (AU:N): No authentication is required.
Confidentiality impact (C:P): Partial confidentiality impact.
Integrity impact (I:P): Partial integrity impact.
Availability impact (A:P): Partial availability impact.

8.6

6.4

[email protected]

OS Trackers for CVE-2021-32760

vendor	priority	summary	link
`alpine`	—	CVE-2021-32760: 1 source package rows (containerd); 21 state rows across 7 repos (3.17-community, 3.18-community, 3.19-community, 3.20-community, 3.21-community, 3.22-community, edge-community); fixed 7, open 14.	https://security.alpinelinux.org/vuln/CVE-2021-32760
`debian`	not yet assigned	CVE-2021-32760 not yet assigned priority: Debian including 1 source packages (containerd), 5 status rows across 5 suites (bookworm, bullseye, forky, sid, trixie): resolved 5.	https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2021-32760
`gentoo`	normal	CVE-2021-32760: 1 GLSA(s) (202401-31), 1 atom(s) (app-containers/containerd); latest impact normal.	https://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?quicksearch=CVE-2021-32760
`redhat`	medium	—	https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-32760
`suse`	medium	CVE-2021-32760 severity moderate: SUSE including 273 source package names (2.0.2-4.2.20:runc-1.0.2-23.1, amazon/suse-sles-15-sp1-chost-byos-v20210304-hvm-ssd-x86_64, …), 1194 product×package rows across 311 product lines (Container rancher/elemental-teal-iso/5.4, Container rancher/elemental-teal-rt/5.4, … (311 product lines)): Fixed 1058, Known Affected 136.	https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-32760/
`ubuntu`	high	CVE-2021-32760 high priority: Ubuntu including 1 source packages (containerd), 9 status rows across 9 suites (bionic, focal, groovy, hirsute, impish, jammy, trusty, upstream, xenial): released 8, DNE 1.	https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2021-32760

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2021-32760

Vendor	Product	Version	Raw CPE
linuxfoundation	containerd	< 1.4.8	cpe:2.3:a:linuxfoundation:containerd::::::::
linuxfoundation	containerd	>= 1.5.0, < 1.5.4	cpe:2.3:a:linuxfoundation:containerd::::::::
fedoraproject	fedora	34	cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:34:::::::*

References for CVE-2021-32760

URL	Tags
https://github.com/containerd/containerd/releases/tag/v1.4.8	Release Notes Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/containerd/containerd/releases/tag/v1.5.4	Release Notes Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/containerd/containerd/security/advisories/GHSA-c72p-9xmj-rx3w	Third Party Advisory
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/DDMNDPJJTP3J5GOEDB66F6MGXUTRG3Y3/
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202401-31

URL

CVE-2021-32760 | Archive package allows chmod of file outside of unpack target directory

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2021-32760

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2021-32760

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2021-32760

GitHub Security Advisory for CVE-2021-32760

OS Trackers for CVE-2021-32760

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2021-32760

References for CVE-2021-32760