CVE-2019-11249
Publication date 29 August 2019
Last updated 11 July 2025
Ubuntu priority
Description
The kubectl cp command allows copying files between containers and the user machine. To copy files from a container, Kubernetes runs tar inside the container to create a tar archive, copies it over the network, and kubectl unpacks it on the user’s machine. If the tar binary in the container is malicious, it could run any code and output unexpected, malicious results. An attacker could use this to write files to any path on the user’s machine when kubectl cp is called, limited only by the system permissions of the local user. Kubernetes affected versions include versions prior to 1.13.9, versions prior to 1.14.5, versions prior to 1.15.2, and versions 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10, 1.11, 1.12.
Status
| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
|---|---|---|
| kubernetes | 25.04 plucky | Not in release |
| 24.04 LTS noble |
Not affected
|
|
| 22.04 LTS jammy |
Not affected
|
|
| 20.04 LTS focal |
Not affected
|
|
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Not in release | |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
Severity score breakdown
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Base score |
4.8 · Medium
|
| Attack vector | Network |
| Attack complexity | High |
| Privileges required | Low |
| User interaction | Required |
| Scope | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | None |
| Integrity impact | High |
| Availability impact | None |
| Vector | CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N |