CVE-2019-5736
HighExploitedPublic exploitrunc through 1.0-rc6, as used in Docker before 18.09.2 and other products, allows attackers to overwrite the host runc binary (and consequently obtain host root access) by leveraging the ability to execute a command as root within one of these types of containers: (1) a new…
Published Feb 11, 2019 · Updated Aug 27, 2026 · Also known as ALPINE-CVE-2019-5736, DEBIAN-CVE-2019-5736, SUSE-SU-2019:0362-1, SUSE-SU-2019:0385-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2019-5736
Key Facts
Patch immediately- CVE-2019-5736 is a high-severity vulnerability (CVSS 8.6 v3.1) affecting Mesos (Apache), Kubernetes Engine (D2iq), Docker and 22 more products.
- It is exploited in the wild, listed in Industry KEV feed since Aug 25, 2022. Public exploit code is available.
- EPSS estimates a 98% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- Fixed versions are available, including Mesos 1.4.3, Mesos 1.5.3-1.ph1, Mesos 1.5.3-1.ph2.
- Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is listed as exploited in the wild.
CVSS v3.1
8.6
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS (30-day exploit likelihood)
98%
Higher than 99.9% of all scored CVEs
Exploited in the wild
Yes
1 catalog listing
Public exploit code
Available
Proof-of-concept or weaponized module
Get the full CVE-2019-5736 brief as a PDF
Every affected product and fixed release, exploitation status and a first 24 hours response checklist, emailed within minutes.
Description
runc through 1.0-rc6, as used in Docker before 18.09.2 and other products, allows attackers to overwrite the host runc binary (and consequently obtain host root access) by leveraging the ability to execute a command as root within one of these types of containers: (1) a new container with an attacker-controlled image, or (2) an existing container, to which the attacker previously had write access, that can be attached with docker exec. This occurs because of file-descriptor mishandling, related to /proc/self/exe.
Known-Exploited Catalog Listings
| Catalog | Added | Remediation due | Ransomware use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry KEV feed | Aug 25, 2022 | n/a | Not reported |
Required action: Apply remediations or mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if remediation or mitigations are unavailable.
Affected Products
290 affected entries in total| Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| MesosApache | See advisory | 1.4.3 |
| Kubernetes EngineD2iq | See advisory | 2.2.0-1.13.3 |
| DockerDocker | See advisory | 18.09.2 |
| OnesphereHp | See advisory | n/a |
| LxcLinuxcontainers | See advisory | 3.2.0 |
Patched Releases
Mesos
1.4.3, 1.5.3-1.ph1, 1.5.3-1.ph2
buildah
1.5-3.0.1.gite94b4f9.module+el8.0.0+5215+77f672ad
container-selinux
2:2.94-1.git1e99f1d.module+el8.0.0+5215+77f672ad
container-tools:rhel8
8000020190416221845.2ffa3d27
containerd
1.2.2-16.14.2, 1.2.2-22.1, 1.2.2-5.9.1, 1.2.2-lp150.4.10.1, 1.2.5-5.13.1, 1.2.5-lp150.4.14.3, 1.2.5-lp151.2.3.1, 1.2.6-16.23.1, 1.2.6-5.16.1, 1.2.6-lp151.2.6.1, 1.4.4-16.38.1, 1.4.8-2.2
containerd-ctr
1.2.2-22.1, 1.2.2-lp150.4.10.1, 1.2.5-lp150.4.14.3, 1.2.5-lp151.2.3.1, 1.2.6-lp151.2.6.1, 1.4.8-2.2
containerd-kubic
1.2.2-22.1
containerd-kubic-ctr
1.2.2-22.1
containerd-kubic-test
1.2.2-22.1
containerd-test
1.2.2-22.1, 1.2.2-lp150.4.10.1, 1.2.5-lp150.4.14.3, 1.2.5-lp151.2.3.1
containernetworking-plugins
0.7.4-3.git9ebe139.module+el8.0.0+5215+77f672ad
containers-common
1:0.1.32-3.0.2.git1715c90.module+el8.0.0+5215+77f672ad
Dc\/os
1.10.10
Kubernetes Engine
2.2.0-1.13.3
Docker
18.03.0-3.ph1, 18.06.1ce-7.25.amzn1, 18.06.2-1.ph2, 18.06.2-1.ph3, 18.09.1_ce-54.1, 18.09.1_ce-6.14.1, 18.09.1_ce-98.34.2, 18.09.1_ce-lp150.5.13.1, 18.09.6_ce-6.17.1, 18.09.6_ce-lp150.5.17.2, 18.09.6_ce-lp151.2.3.1, 19.03.1_ce-6.26.2, 19.03.1_ce-98.46.1, 19.03.1_ce-lp151.2.12.1, 2:1.12.6-79.git5680db5.el7, 20.10.6_ce-98.66.1, 18.09.2
docker-bash-completion
18.09.1_ce-54.1, 18.09.1_ce-6.14.1, 18.09.1_ce-lp150.5.13.1, 18.09.6_ce-6.17.1, 18.09.6_ce-lp150.5.17.2, 18.09.6_ce-lp151.2.3.1, 19.03.1_ce-6.26.2, 19.03.1_ce-lp151.2.12.1
docker-engine
17.06.2.ol-1.0.6.el7, 18.03.1.ol-0.0.12.el7
docker-kubic
18.09.1_ce-54.1
docker-kubic-bash-completion
18.09.1_ce-54.1
docker-kubic-kubeadm-criconfig
18.09.1_ce-54.1
docker-kubic-test
18.09.1_ce-54.1
docker-kubic-zsh-completion
18.09.1_ce-54.1
docker-libnetwork
0.7.0.1+gitr2711_2cfbf9b1f981-11.1, 0.7.0.1+gitr2711_2cfbf9b1f981-16.2, 0.7.0.1+gitr2711_2cfbf9b1f981-4.9.1, 0.7.0.1+gitr2711_2cfbf9b1f981-lp150.3.10.1, 0.7.0.1+gitr2726_872f0a83c98a-4.12.1, 0.7.0.1+gitr2726_872f0a83c98a-lp150.3.14.1, 0.7.0.1+gitr2726_872f0a83c98a-lp151.2.3.1, 0.7.0.1+gitr2800_fc5a7d91d54c-25.1, 0.7.0.1+gitr2800_fc5a7d91d54c-4.15.1, 0.7.0.1+gitr2800_fc5a7d91d54c-lp151.2.6.1
docker-libnetwork-kubic
0.7.0.1+gitr2711_2cfbf9b1f981-11.1
Runc
1.0.0rc5+gitr3562_69663f0bd4b6-1.9.1, 1.0.0rc5+gitr3562_69663f0bd4b6-6.9.1, 1.0.0rc5+gitr3562_69663f0bd4b6-8.1, 1.0.0rc5+gitr3562_69663f0bd4b6-lp150.5.7.1, 1.0.0rc6+gitr3748_96ec2177ae84-1.17.2, 1.0.0rc6+gitr3748_96ec2177ae84-11.1, 1.0.0rc6+gitr3748_96ec2177ae84-6.12.1, 1.0.0rc6+gitr3748_96ec2177ae84-lp150.5.14.1, 1.0.0rc6+gitr3804_2b18fe1d885e-6.18.1, 1.0.0rc6+gitr3804_2b18fe1d885e-lp150.5.21.2, 1.0.0rc6+gitr3804_2b18fe1d885e-lp151.3.3.1, 1.0.0rc8+gitr3826_425e105d5a03-1.29.1, 1.0.0rc8+gitr3826_425e105d5a03-6.21.2, 1.0.0rc8+gitr3826_425e105d5a03-lp151.3.6.1, <=0.1.1, 0:1.0.0-59.dev.git2abd837.el7, 1.0.0_rc6-r1, 1.0.0_rc7, 1.0.0_rc7-r0, 1.0.0-19.rc5.git4bb1fe4.0.3.el7, 1.0.0-55.rc5.dev.git2abd837.module+el8.0.0+5215+77f672ad, 1.0.0.rc4-3.ph1, 1.0.0~rc2+docker1.13.1-0ubuntu1~16.04.1, 1.0.0~rc4+dfsg1-6ubuntu0.18.04.1, 1.0.0~rc6-bp150.2.3.1, 1.0.0~rc6-lp150.2.3.1, 1.0.0~rc6-lp150.2.7.1, 1.0.0~rc6+dfsg1-2, 1.0.0~rc93-16.8.1, 1.0.0rc6-1, 1.0.2-1.2, 2:1.0.0-92.rc92.el7, NA
Timeline
Publicly disclosed
Feb 11, 2019
Added to Industry KEV feed
Aug 25, 2022
Last updated
Aug 27, 2026
Weakness Type
- CWE-78 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
- CWE-672 Operation on a Resource after Expiration or Release
References
- advisoryopenSUSE-SU-2019:1079
- advisoryopenSUSE-SU-2019:1227
- advisoryopenSUSE-SU-2019:1275
- advisoryopenSUSE-SU-2019:1444
- advisoryopenSUSE-SU-2019:1481
FAQ
Common Questions.
runc through 1.0-rc6, as used in Docker before 18.09.2 and other products, allows attackers to overwrite the host runc binary (and consequently obtain host root access) by leveraging the ability to execute a command as root within one of these types of containers: (1) a new container with an attacker-controlled image,…
Affected: Mesos (Apache); Kubernetes Engine (D2iq); Docker, among others. The full list is in the CVE brief.
It is exploited in the wild, listed in Industry KEV feed since Aug 25, 2022.
No, it is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Public exploit code is available.
Fixed versions are available, including Mesos 1.4.3, Mesos 1.5.3-1.ph1, Mesos 1.5.3-1.ph2.
Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is listed as exploited in the wild.
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