CVE-2026-48785

Apptainer: Incorrect path matching for 'limit container paths' directive

MEDIUM
4.8
CVSS Score
Published: September 15, 2026 at 05:19 PM UTC
Updated: September 25, 2026 at 02:27 PM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorApptainer

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Severity
MEDIUM4.8
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.1%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

Apptainer is an open source container platform. Prior to version 1.5.1, Image.AuthorizedPath applies plain string-prefix matching to the limit container paths directive in apptainer.conf, so an allowed path such as /data/safe also authorizes a sibling path such as /data/safe-but-unsafe. A local user can consequently run a container from a directory outside the administrator's intended allowlist when Apptainer operates in setuid mode. Installations that do not use setuid mode or do not configure limit container paths are not affected, and unrestricted user namespaces already allow users to run containers of their choice. This issue is fixed in version 1.5.1.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

v < 1.5.1
Affected range stops below 1.5.1, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet, and no fixed version or vendor advisory is recorded against it.

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

4.8MEDIUMGitHub_M
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
REQUIRED
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
LOW
Integrity
LOW
Availability
LOW
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusAWAITING ANALYSIS
CWE
CWE-22

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