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Response snapshot Nov 3, 2026, 08:21 UTC

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VulnerabilityCVE-2025-9566

podman kube play symlink traversal vulnerability

The podman kube play command can overwrite host files when the kube file contains a ConfigMap or Secret volume mount and the volume already contains a symlink to a host file.

At a glance

Exploited
Not known
Severity
8.1 High (CVSS 3.1)
Chance of exploitation
Not estimated
Sources
2 independent sources

What to do

GitHub lists first patched versions: github.com/containers/podman/v5: 5.6.1. Confirm the affected range and upgrade guidance in the exact advisory.

Read GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-wp3j-xq48-xpjw (opens a new tab)

What happened

Impact

The podman kube play command can overwrite host files when the kube file contains a ConfigMap or Secret volume mount and the volume already contains a symlink to a host file. This allows a malicious container to write to arbitrary files on the host BUT the attacker only controls the target path not the contents that will be written to the file. The contents are defined in the yaml file by the end user.

Requirements to exploit:

podman kube play must be used with a ConfigMap or Secret volume mount AND must be run more than once on the same volume. All the attacker has to do is create the malicious symlink on the volume the first time it is started. After that all following starts would follow the symlink and write to the host location.

Continue reading

Patches

Fixed in podman v5.6.1 https://github.com/containers/podman/commit/43fbde4e665fe6cee6921868f04b7ccd3de5ad89

Workarounds

Don't use podman kube play with ConfigMap or Secret volume mounts.

PR with test for CI

Adding on 9/8/2025 by @TomSweeneyRedHat , this is the PR containing the test in CI: https://github.com/containers/podman/pull/27001

Affected package ranges reported by GitHub: github.com/containers/podman/v5: <= 5.6.0 github.com/containers/podman/v4: <= 4.9.5

Scores and how they were measured

CVSS base severity

8.1

Version 3.1As of

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

Measurement source (opens a new tab)

How bad it is if exploited. Not a prediction of exploitation or proof you are exposed.

EPSS probability

Not available

A model's estimate of exploitation in the next 30 days, not certainty or your own risk.

Related technology

Sources

  1. Primary source

    GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-wp3j-xq48-xpjw (opens a new tab)

    The public advisory supplies the description, affected package/version ranges, and any listed CVSS metric. GitHub review is not local review.

    Published Checked

  2. Primary source

    GitHub public advisory API page (opens a new tab)

    The API page supplied GHSA-wp3j-xq48-xpjw, its actual identifiers, source dates, and structured metrics.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  3. Primary source

    NVD CVE-2025-9566 (opens a new tab)

    NVD record: description, CVSS (the CNA score is preferred), affected products, and publication date. Not evidence of exploitation.

    Published Checked

  4. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  5. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  6. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

Cite this record

For factual claims, cite the primary sources above; cite KEVWire for its compilation, dates, and classifications.

APA

KEVWire. (2026, November 3). podman kube play symlink traversal vulnerability (CVE-2025-9566). https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2025-9566

MLA

"podman kube play symlink traversal vulnerability (CVE-2025-9566)." KEVWire, 3 Nov. 2026, kevwire.com/record/CVE-2025-9566.

Chicago

KEVWire. "podman kube play symlink traversal vulnerability (CVE-2025-9566)." Last modified November 3, 2026. https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2025-9566.

Evidence summary (plain text)

podman kube play symlink traversal vulnerability (Sep 4, 2025).
The podman kube play command can overwrite host files when the kube file contains a ConfigMap or Secret volume mount and the volume already contains a symlink to a host file.
This allows a malicious container to write to arbitrary files on the host BUT the attacker only controls the target path not the contents that will be written to the file. The contents are defined in the yaml file by the end user.

podman kube play must be used with a ConfigMap or Secret volume mount AND must be run more than once on the same volume.
CVSS 8.1 (version 3.1; evidence as of Nov 3, 2026; https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-wp3j-xq48-xpjw).
Sources:
GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-wp3j-xq48-xpjw: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-wp3j-xq48-xpjw
GitHub public advisory API page: https://api.github.com/advisories?type=reviewed&per_page=100&sort=updated&direction=desc
NVD CVE-2025-9566: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-9566
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-11-03T05:11:05.880Z&lastModEndDate=2026-11-03T06:50:56.230Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=0
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-11-03T04:41:03.648Z&lastModEndDate=2026-11-03T06:10:58.210Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=0
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-11-03T04:00:58.552Z&lastModEndDate=2026-11-03T05:40:56.298Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=0
Record ID: CVE-2025-9566.
Record origin: Ingested record.
AI evidence: Not assessed.
Known exploitation: Not assessed.
Zero-day status: Not assessed. KEV membership alone does not establish zero-day status.
About this data

This record was ingested from a data source. Retrieved: Nov 3, 2026, 08:20 UTC. Ingestion is not an independent editorial investigation.

A CISA KEV listing documents known exploitation, not necessarily a zero-day; absence from the catalog does not prove a vulnerability has never been exploited.

Technology tags indicate possible relevance, not verified exposure. Confirm the affected product, version, and configuration against your own inventory; KEVWire does not scan your systems.

A personal reading checklist on this device, not verified remediation.

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