Description
The kubectl cp command allows copying files between containers and the user machine. To copy files from a container, Kubernetes creates a tar inside the container, 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. The untar function can both create and follow symbolic links. The issue is resolved in kubectl v1.11.9, v1.12.7, v1.13.5, and v1.14.0.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kubernetes | Kubernetes | 1.1-1.10, 1.11 – < 1.11.9, 1.12 – < 1.12.7, 1.13 – < 1.13.5 | 1.11.9 |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | ansible-service-broker +2 | 1.1.20-1.el7 | RHBA-2019:0619 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | atomic-enterprise-service-catalog +1 | 1:3.10.127-1.git.55.b54f8c7.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636, RHBA-2019:0620 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | atomic-openshift +13 | 3.9.74-1.git.0.78e56ea.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636, RHBA-2019:0620, RHBA-2019:0619 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | atomic-openshift-cluster-autoscaler | 3.11.98-1.git.0.3b82207.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | atomic-openshift-descheduler | 3.10.127-1.git.153.bc1eddd.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636, RHBA-2019:0620 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | atomic-openshift-dockerregistry | 3.9.74-1.git.0.b102e93.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636, RHBA-2019:0620, RHBA-2019:0619 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | atomic-openshift-hyperkube +1 | 3.10.127-1.git.0.dab74c6.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636, RHBA-2019:0620 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | atomic-openshift-metrics-server | 3.11.98-1.git.52.0623d01.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | atomic-openshift-node-problem-detector | 3.10.127-1.git.0.4f5519b.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636, RHBA-2019:0620 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | atomic-openshift-service-idler | 3.11.98-1.git.14.1793066.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | atomic-openshift-web-console | 3.9.74-1.git.50.93129da.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636, RHBA-2019:0620, RHBA-2019:0619 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | cri-o | 1.9.16-1.git78b2041.el7 | RHBA-2019:0619 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | golang-github-openshift-oauth-proxy | 3.11.98-1.git.0.fd9716c.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | openshift-ansible +4 | 3.9.74-1.git.0.70a0a63.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636, RHBA-2019:0620, RHBA-2019:0619 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | openshift-ansible-test | 3.11.98-1.git.0.3cfa7c3.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | openshift-enterprise-autoheal | 3.11.98-1.git.0.6737a19.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | openshift-enterprise-cluster-capacity | 3.10.127-1.git.0.44580c6.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636, RHBA-2019:0620 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | prometheus +1 | 3.11.98-1.git.0.61907ad.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | prometheus-alertmanager +1 | 3.11.98-1.git.92.7ebe477.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | prometheus-node-exporter +1 | 3.9.74-1.git.0.2ab615c.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636, RHBA-2019:0620, RHBA-2019:0619 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | python-certifi +1 | 2018.4.16-2.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | python-docker | 2.4.2-2.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | python-libcloud | 2.2.1-20180102gitd701bf9.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636, RHBA-2019:0620 |
| Red Hat OpenShift 3 | rubygem-fluent-plugin-viaq_data_model +1 | 0.0.18-1.el7 | RHBA-2019:0636, RHBA-2019:0620 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | govulncheck-vulndb | 0.0.20250807T150727-1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2025:15424-1 |
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | k3s | 1.21.3+k3s1-1.2 | openSUSE-SU-2024:10884-1 |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 7 | kubeadm +2 | 1.12.7-1.1.2.el7 | ELSA-2019-4593 |
| Oracle Linux 7 | kubeadm-ha-setup | 0.0.2-1.0.24.el7 | ELSA-2019-4593 |
| Oracle Linux 7 | kubeadm-upgrade | 0.0.1-1.0.22.el7 | ELSA-2019-4593 |
| Oracle Linux 7 | kubernetes-cni | 0.6.0-2.2.1.el7 | ELSA-2019-4593 |
| Oracle Linux 7 | kubernetes-cni-plugins | 0.7.5-1.0.1.el7 | ELSA-2019-4593 |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Third-party code, not reviewed by us. Public PoCs are sometimes fake or contain malware. Read the code first and run it only in an isolated lab, against systems you are authorised to test.
GitHub 1 repository
-
brompwnie/CVE-2019-1002101-Helpers ★ 6 · Apr 3, 2019
PoC helper scripts and Dockerfile for CVE-2019-1002101
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Affected packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected | Fixed | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Go | k8s.io/kubernetes | < 1.11.9 | 1.11.9 | GHSA-34jx-wx69-9x8v |
| Go | k8s.io/kubernetes | >= 1.12.0, < 1.12.7 | 1.12.7 | GHSA-34jx-wx69-9x8v |
| Go | k8s.io/kubernetes | >= 1.13.0, < 1.13.5 | 1.13.5 | GHSA-34jx-wx69-9x8v |
| Go | k8s.io/kubernetes | < 1.11.9 · >= 1.12.0, < 1.12.7 · >= 1.13.0, < 1.13.5 | 1.11.9, 1.12.7, 1.13.5 | GO-2022-0782 |
Advisories 6
- openSUSE-SU-2025:15424-1 govulncheck-vulndb-0.0.20250807T150727-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Mar 23, 2026
- RHBA-2019:0620 Red Hat Bug Fix Advisory: OpenShift Container Platform 3.10 bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Feb 21, 2026
- RHBA-2019:0636 Red Hat Bug Fix Advisory: OpenShift Container Platform 3.11 bug fix and enhancement update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Feb 21, 2026
- RHBA-2019:0619 Red Hat Bug Fix Advisory: OpenShift Container Platform 3.9 bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Feb 21, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:10884-1 k3s-1.21.3+k3s1-1.2 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- ELSA-2019-4593 Important: kubernetes kubeadm-upgrade kubeadm-ha-setup security update (Oracle Linux 7) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Apr 13, 2019
References
- https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/75037
- 107652 vdb-entry
- RHBA-2019:0620 vendor-advisory
- RHBA-2019:0619 vendor-advisory
- RHBA-2019:0636 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2019-bf800b1c04 vendor-advisory
- [oss-security] 20190620 [ANNOUNCE] Incomplete fixes for CVE-2019-1002101, kubectl cp potential directory traversal - CVE-2019-11246 mailing-list
- [oss-security] 20190805 Kubernetes v1.13.9, v1.14.5, v1.15.2 released to address CVE-2019-11247, CVE-2019-11249 mailing-list
- FEDORA-2019-2b8ef08c95 vendor-advisory
- https://www.twistlock.com/labs-blog/disclosing-directory-traversal-vulnerability-kubernetes-copy-cve-2019-1002101/