CVE-2023-38496 is a medium-severity improper privilege management vulnerability in github.com/apptainer/apptainer (go), affecting versions >= 1.2.0, < 1.2.1. It is fixed in 1.2.1.
Impact Fix https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/pull/1523 included in Apptainer 1.2.0-rc.2 has introduced an ineffective privilege drop when requesting container network setup, therefore subsequent functions are called with root privileges. The attack surface is rather limited for users but an attacker could possibly craft a starter config to delete any directory on the host filesystems. Only affects setuid installations of Apptainer. Patches The security fix https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/pull/1578 has been included in Apptainer 1.2.1 Workarounds There is no known workaround outside of upgrading to Apptainer 1.2.1
The application assigns, modifies, tracks, or checks privileges incorrectly, allowing a user to gain elevated access. Typical impact: privilege escalation beyond the intended level.
CVE-2023-38496 has a CVSS score of 6.1 (Medium). The vector is requires local access, no privileges required, and user interaction required. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment.
A fixed version is available (1.2.1). Upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
go
github.com/apptainer/apptainer (>= 1.2.0, < 1.2.1)github.com/apptainer/apptainer → 1.2.1 (go)Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter instead of chasing every advisory.
Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether CVE-2023-38496 is reachable in your applications. Explore open-source security for your team.
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Already deployed Kodem? See CVE-2023-38496 in your environment →Upgrade github.com/apptainer/apptainer to 1.2.1 or later to resolve this vulnerability.
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CVE-2023-38496 is a medium-severity improper privilege management vulnerability in github.com/apptainer/apptainer (go), affecting versions >= 1.2.0, < 1.2.1. It is fixed in 1.2.1. The application assigns, modifies, tracks, or checks privileges incorrectly, allowing a user to gain elevated access.
CVE-2023-38496 has a CVSS score of 6.1 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
github.com/apptainer/apptainer (go) versions >= 1.2.0, < 1.2.1 is affected.
Yes. CVE-2023-38496 is fixed in 1.2.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
Whether CVE-2023-38496 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
Upgrade github.com/apptainer/apptainer to 1.2.1 or later.