5.7

CVE-2019-11251: kubectl cp allows symlink directory traversal

Modified
AliasesRHSA-2019:3266UBUNTU-CVE-2019-11251GHSA-6qfg-8799-r575
Published 03-02-2020Last modified 04-08-2024

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2019-11251 is a medium (CVSS 5.7) UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following vulnerability in kubernetes. EPSS estimates a 2.62% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 85.4% of scored vulnerabilities.

Priority
Routine

Not severe (CVSS 4.8, network access); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources

Source freshness unavailable

How is this decided?
CVSS score
5.7/10
010
Medium · v3.1 (NVD)
EPSS score
2.62%
0%100%
Low · 0.00 pp in 30 days
KEVNot listedNot listed by any tracked catalog.
RansomwareNot flaggedNo ransomware use recorded.
Public exploits0No public exploits recorded

Advisory lineage

Upstream 0 · Downstream 3 · Related 1
OPENSUSE-SU-2025:15424-1RHSA-2019:3811RHSA-2019:3905

Timeline

  1. 03-02-2020
    PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
  2. 04-08-2024
    Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

The Kubernetes kubectl cp command in versions 1.1-1.12, and versions prior to 1.13.11, 1.14.7, and 1.15.4 allows a combination of two symlinks provided by tar output of a malicious container to place a file outside of the destination directory specified in the kubectl cp invocation. This could be used to allow an attacker to place a nefarious file using a symlink, outside of the destination tree.

CVSS metrics

6 scores · 5 sources · 3 versions

EPSS trend

Probability

2.62%

Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days

Percentile

85%

Versus all other CVEs

30-day change

No change 0.00 pp

From 2.62% on 04-10-2026

04-10-202603-11-2026

Known exploited

Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEV

Not in the CISA KEV catalog.

ENISA CNW

Not in the ENISA CNW catalog.

CIRCL

Not in the CIRCL catalog.

Public exploits

0 found

No public exploits indexed.

Weaknesses

CWE · root cause

Affected systems

Version check

Known conditions: network-reachable, low-privilege account, user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.

Redhat4 products
  • openshift< 0:4.1.21-201910220952.git.0.493dbf6.el7 | < 0:4.1.21-201910220952.git.0.493dbf6.el8
  • openshift-clients< 0:4.1.21-201910220952.git.0.493dbf6.el7 | < 0:4.1.21-201910220952.git.0.493dbf6.el8
  • openshift-clients-redistributable< 0:4.1.21-201910220952.git.0.493dbf6.el7 | < 0:4.1.21-201910220952.git.0.493dbf6.el8
  • openshift-hyperkube< 0:4.1.21-201910220952.git.0.493dbf6.el7 | < 0:4.1.21-201910220952.git.0.493dbf6.el8
K8s.io1 product
  • kubernetes≥ 1.13.10, < 1.13.11 | ≥ 1.14.6, < 1.14.7 | ≥ 1.15.3, < 1.16.0
Kubernetes1 product
  • kubernetesprior to 1.13.11 | prior to 1.14.7 | prior to 1.15.4 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1.10 | 1.11 | 1.12 | ≥ 1.13.0, < 1.13.11 | ≥ 1.14.0, < 1.14.7 | ≥ 1.15.0, < 1.15.4 | 1.1-1.12
Ubuntu1 product
  • kubernetesAll versions (No fix recorded)

4 vendors · 7 products

References

13 links
Show all 13 references