Description

CVE-2024-11218 affects podman build and buildah, allowing a potential container breakout by leveraging a race condition during container image construction. The vulnerability stems from using the --jobs=2 flag and exploiting a weakness in the container building process, which could enable attackers to gain access to the host system's files and directories. While SELinux might offer some mitigation, it doesn't completely prevent the enumeration of files and directories.

The SOCRadar Vulnerability Risk Score (SVRS) for CVE-2024-11218 is 44, suggesting a moderate vulnerability. While this score is below the critical threshold of 80, it still highlights the importance of addressing this vulnerability.

Key Insights

1. Race Condition Exploitation: The vulnerability exploits a race condition during the container building process, allowing attackers to manipulate the build environment and gain unauthorized access to host resources.
2. Potential for Host System Compromise: Successful exploitation could allow attackers to enumerate files and directories on the host system, potentially leading to further system compromise.
3. SELinux Mitigation: SELinux may partially mitigate the vulnerability, but it doesn't eliminate the risk entirely. Attackers can still access host system files and directories even with SELinux enabled.
4. Impact on Containerized Environments: This vulnerability specifically affects containerized environments using podman build and buildah, which are commonly used tools for building container images.

Mitigation Strategies

1. Update podman and buildah: Ensure all podman and buildah instances are updated to the latest version, which includes the necessary security patches to address CVE-2024-11218.
2. Limit Container Image Sources: Implement strict controls on the sources of container images used in your environment. Only allow images from trusted repositories and sources.
3. Use Secure Container Building Practices: Employ secure container building practices, such as minimizing the use of the --jobs flag and using secure container images with limited capabilities.
4. Implement Strong Access Controls: Implement strong access controls for container environments, limiting user access to only the necessary resources and permissions.

Additional Information

If users have additional queries regarding this incident, they can use the 'Ask to Analyst' feature, contact SOCRadar directly, or open a support ticket for more information if necessary.