V2: containerd: Unpack DoS via repeated opaque whiteouts (CVE-2026-95838)
Description
A vulnerability in containerd's layer unpack handler causes superlinear time complexity during unpacking of certain image layers with specific file configurations. This can lead to increased unpack times and moderate CPU usage, delaying container startup and reducing concurrency for image pulls in orchestrators like Kubernetes. The issue is fixed in containerd versions 2.3.5, 2.2.8, 2.0.12, and 1.7.35. No workarounds exist, so users should only pull trusted images until patched.
CVSS v4.0
Affected software
Run on your own infrastructure? Check whether these packages are installed with threat-finder — our free open-source scanner.
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-95838 is a denial-of-service vulnerability in containerd's layer unpack handler. Processing certain crafted image layers triggers repeated directory traversals, causing superlinear time complexity and increased CPU usage during the unpack operation. This results in delayed container startup and reduced concurrency for image pulls in orchestration environments. The vulnerability affects multiple containerd versions prior to 2.3.5, 2.2.8, 2.0.12, and 1.7.35, where it has been patched.
Potential Impact
Exploitation of this vulnerability can cause denial of service by significantly delaying container startup times and increasing CPU usage during image unpacking. In orchestrated environments like Kubernetes, this can reduce concurrency for image pulls, delaying unrelated container deployments. There is no indication of privilege escalation or code execution impact.
Mitigation Recommendations
A fix is available in containerd versions 2.3.5, 2.2.8, 2.0.12, and 1.7.35. Users should update to these versions to resolve the issue. There are no known workarounds; until patched, users are advised to pull and import only trusted images from known registries.
Technical Details
- Gcve Source
- db.gcve.eu
- Osv Id
- GHSA-rp3h-jf77-q9p4
- Osv Schema Version
- 1.4.0
- Aliases
- ["CVE-2026-95838"]
- Ecosystems
- ["Go"]
- Database Specific Severity
- MODERATE
- Cvss Version
- 4.0
Threat ID: 6ad14e8c2cdf04f65660b043
Added to database: 10/15/2026, 22:07:08 UTC
Last enriched: 10/15/2026, 22:08:17 UTC
Last updated: 10/15/2026, 22:08:17 UTC
Views: 5
Community Reviews
0 reviewsCrowdsource mitigation strategies, share intel context, and vote on the most helpful responses. Sign in to add your voice and help keep defenders ahead.
Want to contribute mitigation steps or threat intel context? Sign in or create an account to join the community discussion.
Actions
Updates to AI analysis require Pro Console access. Upgrade inside Console → Billing.
Need more coverage?
Upgrade to Pro Console for AI refresh and higher limits.
For incident response and remediation, OffSeq services can help resolve threats faster.
Latest Threats
Check if your credentials are on the dark web
Instant breach scanning across billions of leaked records. Free tier available.