// For flags

CVE-2023-32684

In Lima, a malicious disk image could read a single file on the host filesystem as a qcow2/vmdk backing file

Severity Score

2.5
*CVSS v3.1

Exploit Likelihood

*EPSS

Affected Versions

*CPE

Public Exploits

0
*Multiple Sources

Exploited in Wild

-
*KEV

Decision

Track
*SSVC
Descriptions

Lima launches Linux virtual machines, typically on macOS, for running containerd. Prior to version 0.16.0, a virtual machine instance with a malicious disk image could read a single file on the host filesystem, even when no filesystem is mounted from the host. The official templates of Lima and the well-known third party products (Colima, Rancher Desktop, and Finch) are unlikely to be affected by this issue. To exploit this issue, the attacker has to embed the target file path (an absolute or a relative path from the instance directory) in a malicious disk image, as the qcow2 (or vmdk) backing file path string. As Lima refuses to run as the root, it is practically impossible for the attacker to read the entire host disk via `/dev/rdiskN`. Also, practically, the attacker cannot read at least the first 512 bytes (MBR) of the target file. The issue has been patched in Lima in version 0.16.0 by prohibiting using a backing file path in the VM base image.

*Credits: N/A
CVSS Scores
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
High
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
None
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
High
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
Required
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
None
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
High
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Partial
Integrity
None
Availability
None
* Common Vulnerability Scoring System
SSVC
  • Decision:Track
Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Tech. Impact
Partial
* Organization's Worst-case Scenario
Timeline
  • 2023-05-11 CVE Reserved
  • 2023-05-30 CVE Published
  • 2025-01-10 CVE Updated
  • 2025-03-30 EPSS Updated
  • ---------- Exploited in Wild
  • ---------- KEV Due Date
  • ---------- First Exploit
CWE
  • CWE-552: Files or Directories Accessible to External Parties
CAPEC
Affected Vendors, Products, and Versions
Vendor Product Version Other Status
Vendor Product Version Other Status <-- --> Vendor Product Version Other Status
Linuxfoundation
Search vendor "Linuxfoundation"
Lima
Search vendor "Linuxfoundation" for product "Lima"
< 0.16.0
Search vendor "Linuxfoundation" for product "Lima" and version " < 0.16.0"
-
Affected