# What is CVE-2020-15157? > CVE-2020-15157 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 6.1) in Containerd from Linuxfoundation, published on 16 October 2020. It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 2.3%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix. Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/what-is/cve-2020-15157 ## At a glance - **Verdict:** Plan it in. No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle. - **Precursor Intelligence risk score:** 39 out of 100 (Low); action: Monitor. Kept up to date as the evidence changes. - **Severity:** Medium (CVSS 6.1 out of 10) - **Known to be exploited:** No, not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today - **Chance of use in the next 30 days:** 2.3% (latest exploit-likelihood forecast) - **Published:** 16 October 2020 - **Record last updated:** 18 November 2021 - **Main product:** Containerd from Linuxfoundation - **Affected products:** 3 ## What is CVE-2020-15157? In plain terms It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, but a person has to take an action first. If it works, the attacker can read data. ### The official description In containerd (an industry-standard container runtime) before version 1.2.14 there is a credential leaking vulnerability. If a container image manifest in the OCI Image format or Docker Image V2 Schema 2 format includes a URL for the location of a specific image layer (otherwise known as a “foreign layer”), the default containerd resolver will follow that URL to attempt to download it. In v1.2.x but not 1.3.0 or later, the default containerd resolver will provide its authentication credentials if the server where the URL is located presents an HTTP 401 status code along with registry-specific HTTP headers. If an attacker publishes a public image with a manifest that directs one of the layers to be fetched from a web server they control and they trick a user or system into pulling the image, they can obtain the credentials used for pulling that image. In some cases, this may be the user's username and password for the registry. In other cases, this may be the credentials attached to the cloud virtual instance which can grant access to other cloud resources in the account. The default containerd resolver is used by the cri-containerd plugin (which can be used by Kubernetes), the ctr development tool, and other client programs that have explicitly linked against it. This vulnerability has been fixed in containerd 1.2.14. containerd 1.3 and later are not affected. If you are using containerd 1.3 or later, you are not affected. If you are using cri-containerd in the 1.2 series or prior, you should ensure you only pull images from trusted sources. Other container runtimes built on top of containerd but not using the default resolver (such as Docker) are not affected. ### What kind of flaw is it? - CWE-522: Insufficiently Protected Credentials ### How an attack on it works - Where an attacker can be: Anywhere on the internet - How hard it is to pull off: Hard: conditions must line up - Login needed first: No login needed - Does someone have to click: Yes, a person has to take an action - What an attacker gets: Can read data Severity vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N` ## Is CVE-2020-15157 being exploited? Not that we know of It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 2.3%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching. Exploit likelihood over the last 7 days: 2.3%, 2.3%, 2.3%, 2.3%, 2.3%, 2.3%, 2.3%. ### Timeline - 16 October 2020: Published - 18 November 2021: Record last updated ### How Precursor Intelligence ranks it CVE-2020-15157 scores **39 out of 100 (Low)**, with the action "Monitor". Every published flaw gets a risk score from 0 to 100, kept up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, from the one that counts most to the ones that count less: - Evidence it is being exploited: biggest factor - How severe it is: strong factor - How widely exposed it is: key context - Real threat activity around it: key context 85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score. When this flaw matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it. ## Who is affected by CVE-2020-15157? The published record lists 3 products. Versions are as published: "1.2.0 to before 1.2.14" means from 1.2.0 up to, but not including, 1.2.14. - [Containerd](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/linuxfoundation/containerd) by [Linuxfoundation](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/linuxfoundation) (Application): 1.2.0 to before 1.2.14, 1.3.0-beta0, 1.3.0-beta1, 1.3.0-beta2, 1.3.0-rc0, 1.3.0-rc1, 1.3.0-rc2, 1.3.0-rc3, 1.3.0 - [Ubuntu Linux](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/canonical/ubuntu_linux) by [Canonical](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/canonical) (Operating system): 16.04, 18.04, 20.04 - [Debian Linux](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/debian/debian_linux) by [Debian](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/debian) (Operating system): 10.0 ## How do I fix CVE-2020-15157? 1. **Check whether you run it.** Compare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list. 2. **Apply the vendor’s fix.** Install the latest update from the vendor. The references list where the vendor has published details. 3. **If you can’t patch today.** Follow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in. 4. **Keep an eye on it.** Track the product and we tell you as soon as we spot this flaw on the list of exploited flaws, or a jump in its exploit likelihood. ### References - [github.com](https://github.com/containerd/containerd/releases/tag/v1.2.14) (Third-party advisory) - [github.com](https://github.com/containerd/containerd/security/advisories/GHSA-742w-89gc-8m9c) (Third-party advisory) - [usn.ubuntu.com](https://usn.ubuntu.com/4589-1/) (Third-party advisory) - [usn.ubuntu.com](https://usn.ubuntu.com/4589-2/) (Third-party advisory) - [debian.org](https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-4865) (Third-party advisory) ## Questions ### What is CVE-2020-15157? CVE-2020-15157 is a medium-severity flaw in Containerd from Linuxfoundation, published on 16 October 2020. It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, but a person has to take an action first. If it works, the attacker can read data. ### How serious is CVE-2020-15157? It scores 6.1 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is medium. Our risk score for CVE-2020-15157 is 39 out of 100, which is Low. Its action is "Monitor". No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle. ### Is CVE-2020-15157 being exploited? It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 2.3%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching. ### Which versions does CVE-2020-15157 affect? For Containerd from Linuxfoundation: 1.2.0 to before 1.2.14, 1.3.0-beta0, 1.3.0-beta1, 1.3.0-beta2, 1.3.0-rc0, 1.3.0-rc1 and 3 more. The record lists 3 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page. ### How do I fix CVE-2020-15157? Install the update the vendor names in its advisory. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet. ## Does CVE-2020-15157 affect you? Precursor Intelligence keeps checking for you: - **Tell us what you run.** Pick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website. - **We match it to every flaw.** Over 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list. - **Ranked by real-world risk.** Every flaw gets a 0 to 100 risk score, kept up to date, led by evidence criminals are using it. - **Told as soon as we know.** An alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools. Start free (no card, nothing to install): https://www.precursorintelligence.com/register Book a demo: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/contact