CVE-2019-11251

Name: CVE-2019-11251
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2020-02-03T16:15:11.14+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

MEDIUMCVSS 5.7/10EPSS 2.31%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2019-11251 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 5.7/10 on the CVSS scale. 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.. EPSS estimates a 2.31% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

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.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.7/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

EPSS Probability

2.31%

81.2th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Kubernetes	Kubernetes	>= 1.13.0, < 1.13.11
Kubernetes	Kubernetes	>= 1.14.0, < 1.14.7
Kubernetes	Kubernetes	>= 1.15.0, < 1.15.4
Kubernetes	Kubernetes	1.1-1.12

References

https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/issues/87773Third Party Advisory
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/kubernetes-announce/YYtEFdFimZ4/nZnOezZuBgAJMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/issues/87773Third Party Advisory
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/kubernetes-announce/YYtEFdFimZ4/nZnOezZuBgAJMailing List, Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Feb 3, 2020
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2019-11251?

How severe is CVE-2019-11251?

CVE-2019-11251 has a CVSS score of 5.7/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 2.31% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2019-11251?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2019-11251?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST