CVE-2026-53492

Workarounds

Users can mitigate this issue by restricting the restoration of containers from untrusted checkpoint images. If Container Device Interface (CDI) capabilities are not utilized on the node, removing or temporarily relocating host CDI specifications from the default directories (/etc/cdi and /var/run/cdi) will eliminate the reachability of this vulnerability.

Credits

The containerd project would like to thank Robert Prast (@robertprast) for responsibly disclosing this issue in accordance with the containerd security policy.

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

• Open an issue in containerd
• Email us at [email protected]

To report a security issue in containerd:

• Report a new vulnerability
• Email us at [email protected]

containerd's CRI implementation improperly trusts Container Device Interface (CDI) annotations found within untrusted checkpoint image metadata during container restoration. When restoring a container from a checkpoint, containerd preserves CDI-related annotations from the checkpoint archive rather than relying solely on the pod's create-time specification. This allows a user with pod creation permissions to bypass standard Kubernetes resource allocation and device plugin enforcement, injecting arbitrary CDI edits (such as device nodes and host mounts) into the restored container. Successful exploitation requires that the node has CDI enabled and contains a matching host CDI specification for the requested device; environments where CDI is disabled or lacking sensitive device specifications are not affected.

The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths. Typical impact: varies by context: data corruption, logic bypass, or denial of service.

Kodem intelligence

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. Recreating existing containers restored from untrusted checkpoints may be necessary to remove smuggled configuration.

1. What is CVE-2026-53492? CVE-2026-53492 is a high-severity improper input validation vulnerability in github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (go), affecting versions >= 2.1.0, < 2.1.9. It is fixed in 2.1.9, 2.2.5, 2.3.2. The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths.
2. Which versions of github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 are affected by CVE-2026-53492? github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (go) versions >= 2.1.0, < 2.1.9 is affected.
3. Is there a fix for CVE-2026-53492? Yes. CVE-2026-53492 is fixed in 2.1.9, 2.2.5, 2.3.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
4. Is CVE-2026-53492 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-53492 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
5. What actually determines whether CVE-2026-53492 is exploitable, and how bad it is? 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.
6. How do I fix CVE-2026-53492?
   • Upgrade github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 to 2.1.9 or later
   • Upgrade github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 to 2.2.5 or later
   • Upgrade github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 to 2.3.2 or later

Other vulnerabilities in github.com/containerd/containerd/v2