CVE-2025-9566: Podman: podman kube play command may overwrite host files
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.
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
Other sources
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 file. The contents are defined in the yaml file by the end user.
— Red Hat
There's a vulnerability in podman where an attacker may use the kube play command to overwrite host files when the kube file container a Secrete or a ConfigMap volume mount and such volume contains a symbolic link to a host file path. In a successful attack, the attacker can only control the target file to be overwritten but not the content to be written into the file.
Binary-Affected: podman Upstream-version-introduced: v4.0.0 Upstream-version-fixed: v5.6.1
— NVD
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
go/github.com/containers/podman/v5to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.6.1 - Upgrade
Upgrade
podmanto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.6.1 - Configuration
Do not use `podman kube play` with ConfigMap or Secret volume mounts.
podman kube play ConfigMap/Secret volume mounts = Do not use ConfigMap or Secret volume mounts - Compensating control
Avoid running `podman kube play` more than once against the same volume when ConfigMap or Secret volume mounts are involved.
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2025-9566?
CVE-2025-9566 is considered a high severity vulnerability due to its potential to allow arbitrary file writes on the host.
How do I fix CVE-2025-9566?
To fix CVE-2025-9566, upgrade to podman version 5.6.1 or later.
Which versions of podman are affected by CVE-2025-9566?
CVE-2025-9566 affects podman versions up to 4.9.5 and 5.6.0.
What is the main risk associated with CVE-2025-9566?
The main risk of CVE-2025-9566 is that it allows malicious containers to overwrite arbitrary host files.
Are there any workarounds for CVE-2025-9566 if I can't upgrade?
Temporary workarounds include avoiding the use of symlinks to host files in ConfigMap or Secret volume mounts until an upgrade can be performed.