CVE-2026-92574: Cri-o: cri-o checkpoint restore bypasses destination security context

Published Sep 16, 2026

Updated

A vulnerability in CRI-O checkpoint restore allows a user who can create a pod from a malicious checkpointed container to bypass the destination Kubernetes security context. The restored process may retain credentials, Linux capabilities, nonewprivs, and seccomp state from the checkpoint instead of enforcing the destination configuration. This can allow execution with elevated privileges across the container security boundary. Affected upstream supported versions are CRI-O 1.34 and later. Downstream Red Hat products are affected from OCP 4.17 onward. Fixes have been applied to supported branches but are not yet released. Exploitation requires permission to create a pod from a malicious checkpoint image and checkpoint restore functionality to be available.

Other sources

nitial intake from PSIRTSUPT-23768. Ayato confirmed that CRI-O checkpoint restore can bypass the destination Kubernetes security context when restoring a malicious checkpointed container. Proposed impact is Critical with CVSS 9.9: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Affected upstream supported versions are >= 1.34, with Red Hat downstream impact from OCP 4.17 onward. Fixes are present in commits f4d95dfe70c4af4afff0c5a96e1a36975c2f65f9, 045d4107f10f9baa4e93d54a93762e0036942d4b, and bb54fa0fba793889d815e5943abd6f8afc938c39. Reporter: lyhtheori. CVE-2026-92574 reserved. Planned disclosure: 2026-09-21. Keep embargoed pending IC review and release confirmation.

— Red Hat

Affected Software

2 affected components

Red Hat cri-o>=undefined

Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform>=undefined

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

Upgrade
Upgrade CRI-O to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Patch f4d95dfe70c4af4afff0c5a96e1a36975c2f65f9
Upgrade
Upgrade CRI-O to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Patch 045d4107f10f9baa4e93d54a93762e0036942d4b
Upgrade
Upgrade CRI-O to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Patch bb54fa0fba793889d815e5943abd6f8afc938c39
Compensating control
Restrict permissions to create pods from malicious checkpoint images, since exploitation requires permission to create a pod from a malicious checkpoint image and checkpoint restore functionality to be available.
Compensating control
Ensure checkpoint restore functionality is not available to untrusted users/workloads, since exploitation requires checkpoint restore functionality to be available.

Event History

Sep 16, 2026

Data Sourced

via Red Hat·01:59 PM

DescriptionSeverityAffected Software

Sep 21, 2026

CVE Published

via MITRE·09:49 AM

Data Sourced

via MITRE·09:49 AM

DescriptionSeverityWeakness

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can exploit this issue?

An attacker needs permission to create a pod from a malicious checkpoint image. Checkpoint restore functionality must also be available in the affected environment.

Which deployments are affected?

Affected upstream supported CRI-O versions are 1.34 and later. Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform is affected from 4.17 onward.

What security controls can be bypassed during restore?

A restored process may retain credentials, Linux capabilities, no_new_privs, and seccomp state from the checkpoint rather than receiving the destination Kubernetes security context. This can result in elevated execution across the container security boundary.

Are fixes available?

Fixes have been applied to supported branches, but they are not yet released.