MEDIUM CVSS 4.6
Published: 2025-03-17

CVE-2024-40635

linuxfoundation containerd Security Advisory (CVE-2024-40635)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2024-40635 impacting linuxfoundation containerd. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 4.6 (MEDIUM).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
containerd is an open-source container runtime. A bug was found in containerd prior to versions 1.6.38, 1.7.27, and 2.0.4 where containers launched with a User set as a `UID:GID` larger than the maximum 32-bit signed integer can cause an overflow condition where the container ultimately runs as root (UID 0). This could cause unexpected behavior for environments that require containers to run as a non-root user. This bug has been fixed in containerd 1.6.38, 1.7.27, and 2.04. As a workaround, ensure that only trusted images are used and that only trusted users have permissions to import images.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Local (AV:L)
Requires local system execution permissions
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
High (PR:H)
Administrative credentials required
User Interaction
None (UI:N)
Zero human interaction required
Scope
Changed (S:C)
Impacts components beyond caller authority
Confidentiality
Low (C:L)
Partial information leakage
Integrity
Low (I:L)
Partial data modification possible
Availability
None (A:N)
No system availability impact

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product linuxfoundation / containerd
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-190

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2024-40635 impacting linuxfoundation containerd.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2024-40635.yaml
id: cve-2024-40635

info:
  name: linuxfoundation containerd - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: medium
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2024-40635 affecting linuxfoundation containerd.
    Evaluation: containerd is an open-source container runtime. A bug was found in containerd prior to versions 1.6.38, 1.7.27, and 2.0.4 where containers launched wi...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2024-40635
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
    cvss-score: 4.6
    cve-id: CVE-2024-40635
    cwe-id: CWE-190
  tags: cve,cve-2024-40635,linuxfoundation,containerd,medium

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "containerd"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2024-40635.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2024-40635
# Target: linuxfoundation containerd | CVSS: 4.6 (MEDIUM)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2024-40635 (linuxfoundation containerd)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against linuxfoundation containerd scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2024-40635.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2024-40635
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install containerd 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade containerd 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update containerd

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i containerd 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i containerd

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2024-40635 in linuxfoundation containerd?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update linuxfoundation containerd packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2024-40635?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2024-40635?

CVE-2024-40635 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 4.6 (MEDIUM). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
4.6
MEDIUM SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2024-40635
Weakness CWE-190
Vendor linuxfoundation
Product containerd
Published 2025-03-17
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N