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NVD / CVE Program· CNA talos

CVE-2019-5021: Versions of the Official Alpine Linux Docker images (since v3.3) contain a NULL password for the `root` user.

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Plan (action score 41/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 6.2% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 93.5% of all records.
  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: system-user-root (openSUSE:Leap 15.0) 20190513-lp151.3.3.1; system-user-root (SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15) 20190513-3.3.1; suse-sles12sp3-image (SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Containers 12) 2.0.2-22.1.

Add it to your regular patch cycle. Upgrade to system-user-root (openSUSE:Leap 15.0) 20190513-lp151.3.3.1; system-user-root (SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15) 20190513-3.3.1; suse-sles12sp3-image (SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Containers 12) 2.0.2-22.1 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

Versions of the Official Alpine Linux Docker images (since v3.3) contain a NULL password for the `root` user. This vulnerability appears to be the result of a regression introduced in December of 2015. Due to the nature of this issue, systems deployed using affected versions of the Alpine Linux container which utilize Linux PAM, or some other mechanism which uses the system shadow file as an authentication database, may accept a NULL password for the `root` user.

CriticalCVSS 9.8 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
May 8, 2019
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
6.2% · 93th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

41

Plan

Add it to your regular patch cycle.

CVSS
39 / 40 · 9.8 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
2 / 30 · 6.2%

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
9.8
CNA · talos
9.8
agree

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

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When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
gliderlabsdocker-alpine
alpinelinuxalpine linux
opensuseleap
f5big-ip controller

Affected versions

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

  • f5 big-ip controller1.2.1
  • gliderlabs docker-alpine3.3 and later
  • opensuse leap15.0
  • opensuse leap15.1

Versions reported by the vendor

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

  • n/a Alpine Linux

    • Alpine Docker 3.3 Alpine Docker 3.4 Alpine Docker 3.5 Alpine Docker 3.6 Alpine Docker 3.7 Alpine Docker 3.8 Alpine Docker 3.9 Alpine Docker Edgeaffected

Package-level exposure

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

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
openSUSE:Leap 15.0system-user-rootbefore 20190513-lp151.3.3.120190513-lp151.3.3.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15system-user-rootbefore 20190513-3.3.120190513-3.3.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Containers 12suse-sles12sp3-imagebefore 2.0.2-22.12.0.2-22.1

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
opensuse:system-user-root20190513-lp151.3.3.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.0Package registry (OSV)
suse:suse-sles12sp3-image2.0.2-22.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Containers 12Package registry (OSV)
suse:system-user-root20190513-3.3.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15Package 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.

No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).

Patch and commit links

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

No commit or PR link among the references.

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

  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
  • No account or password is required.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
high · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
High
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-258 · Empty Password in Configuration File

CVSS vector

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

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

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References

Show all references (4 more)

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

All records