CVE-2019-11251
kubectl cp allows symlink directory traversal
- Published
- Updated
- Reserved
- Assigned by
- kubernetes
Description
The Kubernetes kubectl cp command in versions 1.1-1.12, and versions prior to 1.13.11, 1.14.7, and 1.15.4 allows a combination of two symlinks provided by tar output of a malicious container to place a file outside of the destination directory specified in the kubectl cp invocation. This could be used to allow an attacker to place a nefarious file using a symlink, outside of the destination tree.
Timeline
ID reserved
By kubernetes
- 10 months later
· 10 months later
Published
- 5 years later
· 5 years later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| kubernetesCNA (assigner) | 3.1 | Medium4.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N |
| NVDNVD · Modified | 3.1 | Medium5.7 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 2.6% · top 14% of all CVEs (7 Nov 2026)
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Medium 4.8.
Weakness
Affected products
- affected prior to 1.13.11
- affected prior to 1.14.7
- affected prior to 1.15.4
- affected 1.1
- affected 1.2
- affected 1.3
- affected 1.4
- affected 1.5
- affected 1.6
- affected 1.7
- affected 1.8
- affected 1.9
- affected 1.10
- affected 1.11
- affected 1.12
Affected packages
From reviewed advisories of the GitHub Advisory Database.
- Gok8s.io/kubernetesGHSA-6qfg-8799-r575 (opens in a new tab)
References (2)
- https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/issues/87773 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- Security release of kubectl versions v1.16.0 / 1.15.4 / 1.14.7 and 1.13.11 - CVE-2019-11251 (opens in a new tab)mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTx_transferred
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisory GHSA-6qfg-8799-r575 (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://trackcve.app/cve/CVE-2019-11251)Record last updated .