docker: insecure opening of file-descriptor allows privilege escalation
Published Jan 31, 2017
7.5
HIGHCVSS 3.1
EPSS 0.41%
Description
RunC allowed additional container processes via 'runc exec' to be ptraced by the pid 1 of the container. This allows the main processes of the container, if running as root, to gain access to file-descriptors of these new processes during the initialization and can lead to container escapes or modification of runC state before the process is fully placed inside the container.
Affected products
No data.
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extras
docker-2:1.12.5-14.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2017:0116
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extras
docker-latest-0:1.12.5-14.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2017:0123
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extras
runc-0:1.0.0-1.rc2.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2017:0127
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extras | docker-2:1.12.5-14.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2017:0116 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extras | docker-latest-0:1.12.5-14.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2017:0123 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extras | runc-0:1.0.0-1.rc2.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2017:0127 |
github.com/opencontainers/runc
Go
Introduced 0 Fixed 1.0.0-rc3
| Ecosystem | Package | Introduced | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go | github.com/opencontainers/runc | 0 | 1.0.0-rc3 |
Remediation
Red Hat mitigation
On Red Hat systems with SELinux enabled, the dangers of even privileged containers are mitigated. SELinux prevents container processes from accessing host content even if those container processes manage to gain access to the actual file descriptors.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
No CISA SSVC assessment for this CVE yet.
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.
Score over time
2022–2026- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (12 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 0.41% (0.00412) | 33.05th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 0.36% (0.00358) | 27.46th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 30, 2025 | 0.19% (0.00187) | 37.48th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 29, 2025 | 3.82% (0.03820) | 79.98th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.18% (0.00178) | 37.05th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.07% (0.00065) | 30.60th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jun 14, 2024 | 0.07% (0.00065) | 28.60th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.07% (0.00065) | 26.59th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 1.79% (0.01791) | 77.00th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 23, 2023 | 1.79% (0.01791) | 76.95th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.79% (0.01791) | 74.90th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 1.79% (0.01791) | 54.19th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (27)
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0116.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0123.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0127.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2017/Jan/21 mailing-listx_refsource_FULLDISCMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2017/Jan/29 mailing-listx_refsource_FULLDISCMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/540001/100/0/threaded mailing-listx_refsource_BUGTRAQ
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95361 vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2016-9962 Vendor Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/security/vulnerabilities/cve-2016-9962 x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1409531 Issue Tracking
- https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1012568#c6 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue Tracking
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-gp4j-w3vj-7299 Advisory
- https://github.com/docker/docker/releases/tag/v1.12.6 x_refsource_CONFIRMVendor Advisory
- https://github.com/opencontainers/runc/commit/50a19c6ff828c58e5dab13830bd3dacde268afe5 x_refsource_CONFIRMPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://github.com/opencontainers/runc/commit/5d93fed3d27f1e2bab58bad13b180a7a81d0b378
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/BQAXJMMLRU7DD2IMG47SR2K4BOFFG7FZ/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_FEDORA
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/FINGBFMIXBG6B6ZWYH3TMRP5V3PDBNXR/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_FEDORA
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/UVM7FCOQMPKOFLDTUYSS4ES76DDM56VP/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_FEDORA
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/WUQ3MQNEL5IBZZLMLR72Q4YDCL2SCKRK/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_FEDORA
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/BQAXJMMLRU7DD2IMG47SR2K4BOFFG7FZ/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/FINGBFMIXBG6B6ZWYH3TMRP5V3PDBNXR/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/UVM7FCOQMPKOFLDTUYSS4ES76DDM56VP/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/WUQ3MQNEL5IBZZLMLR72Q4YDCL2SCKRK/
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-9962
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201701-34 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_GENTOOThird Party Advisory
- https://web.nvd.nist.gov/view/vuln/detail?vulnId=CVE-2016-9962
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-9962
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.