containerd: CRI checkpoint import allows local image tag poisoning

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS 4.0

5.6 · CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/SA:L · score source

EPSS

• CVE-2026-50195: 0.30% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 23.18 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Impact containerd's CRI checkpoint import process contains a vulnerability where it fails to validate the image references specified within a checkpoint image's configuration. An attacker with permissions to create pods can use a crafted checkpoint image to force containerd to pull a malicious image and assign it an arbitrary local tag, thereby poisoning the node's local image cache. Subsequently, if other pods on the same node attempt to use the poisoned tag with an IfNotPresent (or Never) pull policy, they will unknowingly execute the attacker's malicious image instead of the legitimate one. This can lead to a compromise of the affected pods, allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary code under the victim pod's identity. Patches This bug has been fixed in the following containerd versions: 2.3.2 2.2.5 2.1.9 Users should update to these versions to resolve the issue. Workarounds Users should only allow trusted images to be pulled. Credits The containerd project would like to thank…

Published by the source

19 Jun 2026, 19:35 UTC

Last modified by the source

21 Jul 2026, 14:41 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 15:27 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-cvxm-645q-p574

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-50195

Advisory: containerd: CRI checkpoint import allows local image tag poisoning
IDs: CVE-2026-50195, GHSA-cvxm-645q-p574
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-50195 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 15:27 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 5.6)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 2.3.2, 2.2.5, 2.1.9. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Go github.com/containerd/containerd/v2: affected >= 2.1.0, < 2.1.9; >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.5; >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.2; fixed in 2.1.9, 2.3.2, 2.2.5

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Go github.com/containerd/containerd/v2: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on github.com/containerd/containerd/v2.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-cvxm-645q-p574 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-cvxm-645q-p574 lists affected ranges: Go github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 >=2.1.0 =2.2.0 =2.3.0 <2.3.2)

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