CVE-2026-48785
Apptainer: Incorrect path matching for 'limit container paths' directive
Description
Apptainer is an open source container platform. Prior to version 1.5.1, Image.AuthorizedPath applies plain string-prefix matching to the limit container paths directive in apptainer.conf, so an allowed path such as /data/safe also authorizes a sibling path such as /data/safe-but-unsafe. A local user can consequently run a container from a directory outside the administrator's intended allowlist when Apptainer operates in setuid mode. Installations that do not use setuid mode or do not configure limit container paths are not affected, and unrestricted user namespaces already allow users to run containers of their choice. This issue is fixed in version 1.5.1.
INFO
Published Date :
Sept. 15, 2026, 6:17 p.m.
Last Modified :
Sept. 15, 2026, 6:17 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
[email protected]
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | |||||
| CVSS 3.1 | MEDIUM | [email protected] |
Solution
- Update Apptainer to version 1.5.1 or later.
- Review apptainer.conf path configurations.
- Ensure limit container paths is correctly configured.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-48785.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-48785 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-48785
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-48785 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-48785 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
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New CVE Received by [email protected]
Sep. 15, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Description Apptainer is an open source container platform. Prior to version 1.5.1, Image.AuthorizedPath applies plain string-prefix matching to the limit container paths directive in apptainer.conf, so an allowed path such as /data/safe also authorizes a sibling path such as /data/safe-but-unsafe. A local user can consequently run a container from a directory outside the administrator's intended allowlist when Apptainer operates in setuid mode. Installations that do not use setuid mode or do not configure limit container paths are not affected, and unrestricted user namespaces already allow users to run containers of their choice. This issue is fixed in version 1.5.1. Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L Added CWE CWE-22 Added Affected New affected value received. <a href="https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/blob/main/cves/2026/48xxx/CVE-2026-48785.json">CVE-2026-48785</a> Added Reference https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/commit/0ff35257420e0c6cb97dac11d305749c893e5214 Added Reference https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/pull/3549 Added Reference https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/releases/tag/v1.5.1 Added Reference https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/security/advisories/GHSA-cr2j-534f-mf3g -
CVE Modified by 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
Sep. 15, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added SSVC {'id': 'CVE-2026-48785', 'role': 'CISA Coordinator', 'options': [{'exploitation': 'none'}, {'automatable': 'no'}, {'technicalImpact': 'partial'}], 'version': '2.0.3', 'timestamp': '2026-09-15T17:38:03.190026Z'}