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CVE-2023-25153· NVD / CVE Program· CNA GitHub_M

containerd OCI image importer memory exhaustion

containerd is an open source container runtime. Before versions 1.6.18 and 1.5.18, when importing an OCI image, there was no limit on the number of bytes read for certain files. A maliciously crafted image with a large file where a limit was not applied could cause a denial of service. This bug has been fixed in containerd 1.6.18 and 1.5.18. Users should update to these versions to resolve the issue. As a workaround, ensure that only trusted images are used and that only trusted users have permissions to import images.

MediumCVSS 5.5 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available

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Published
Feb 16, 2023
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
0.4% · 28th percentile
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Report tools

JSON

Action score

22

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.4%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
none
Automatable
no
Technical impact
partial

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
5.5
CNA · GitHub_M
6.2
0.7 point gap

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

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Affected systems

VendorProduct
linuxfoundationcontainerd

Using containerd? Add it to your stack and be the first to know about CVEs like this one. (Docker)

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Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • linuxfoundation containerdbefore 1.5.18
  • linuxfoundation containerd1.6.0 and later · before 1.6.18

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (GitHub_M). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • containerd containerd

    • < 1.5.18, >= 1.6.0, < 1.6.18affected

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12containerdbefore 1.6.18~ds1-11.6.18~ds1-1
Gogithub.com/containerd/containerdfrom 1.6.0 · before 1.6.181.6.18
Gogithub.com/containerd/containerdbefore 1.5.181.5.18
openSUSE:Tumbleweedcontainerdbefore 1.6.19-1.11.6.19-1.1
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10cephbefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-basebefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-base-debuginfobefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-commonbefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-common-debuginfobefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-debuginfobefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-debugsourcebefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-exporter-debuginfobefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-fusebefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-fuse-debuginfobefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-immutable-object-cachebefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-immutable-object-cache-debuginfobefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-mds-debuginfobefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-mgr-debuginfobefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-mibbefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-mon-client-nvmeof-debuginfobefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-mon-debuginfobefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-osd-debuginfobefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-radosgw-debuginfobefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp
Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10ceph-resource-agentsbefore 2:20.1.0-144.el10cp2:20.1.0-144.el10cp

+96

Same product

linuxfoundation: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2022-23648Insecure handling of image volumes in containerd CRI plugin
    38Monitor
  • CVE-2026-53488containerd CRI plugin: — image-config `LABEL` flows to restart-monitor `binary://` logger: host-root command execution from an image pull
    37Monitor
  • CVE-2021-43816Improper Preservation of Permissions in containerd
    37Monitor
  • CVE-2026-53492containerd CRI checkpoint restore CDI annotation smuggling
    33Monitor
  • CVE-2026-53489containerd: Arbitrary host CRI log file read via symlink following in CRI checkpoint restore
    32Monitor
  • CVE-2024-25621containerd affected by a local privilege escalation via wide permissions on CRI directory
    31Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
debian:containerd1.6.18~ds1-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
Go:github.com/containerd/containerd1.5.18Package registry (OSV)
Go:github.com/containerd/containerd1.6.18Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:containerd1.6.19-150000.87.1 · openSUSE:Leap Micro 5.3Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ceph2:20.1.0-144.el10cp · Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ceph-base2:20.1.0-144.el10cp · Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ceph-base-debuginfo2:20.1.0-144.el10cp · Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ceph-common2:20.1.0-144.el10cp · Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ceph-common-debuginfo2:20.1.0-144.el10cp · Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ceph-debuginfo2:20.1.0-144.el10cp · Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ceph-debugsource2:20.1.0-144.el10cp · Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ceph-exporter-debuginfo2:20.1.0-144.el10cp · Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ceph-fuse2:20.1.0-144.el10cp · Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ceph-fuse-debuginfo2:20.1.0-144.el10cp · Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ceph-immutable-object-cache2:20.1.0-144.el10cp · Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ceph-immutable-object-cache-debuginfo2:20.1.0-144.el10cp · Red Hat:ceph_storage:9.0::el10Package registry (OSV)
suse:containerd1.6.19-150000.87.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.3Package registry (OSV)
suse:containerd1.6.19-16.76.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Containers 12Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

EPSS, last 120 days

FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • No account or password is required.
  • A user must open a link or visit a page.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
none
Integrity
none
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
None
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-770 · Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling

CVSS vector

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

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records