# CVE-2016-8649: Path traversal in LXC before 1.0.9 and 2.x before 2.0.6

> An attacker inside an unprivileged LXC container can access the host filesystem via inherited file descriptors, leading to data exposure and privilege escalation.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.1 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 1 May 2017
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2016-8649, GHSA-vp8j-2cg9-6pvv, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-8649, USN-3136-1

## What is CVE-2016-8649?

CVE-2016-8649 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in LXC before 1.0.9 and 2.x before 2.0.6, published on 1 May 2017. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

lxc-attach in LXC before 1.0.9 and 2.x before 2.0.6 allows an attacker inside of an unprivileged container to use an inherited file descriptor, of the host's /proc, to access the rest of the host's filesystem via the openat() family of syscalls.

Weakness: CWE-264

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-8649?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linuxcontainers Lxc.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-8649?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2016-8649 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-8649 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in LXC before 1.0.9 and 2.x before 2.0.6

- [CVE-2016-10124](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-10124/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2017-18641](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-18641/): Supply chain in n/a (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2013-6441](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6441/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2015-1331](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-1331/): Path traversal in n/a (medium 4.9)
- [CVE-2015-1334](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-1334/): Privilege escalation in n/a (medium 4.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-8649 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-8649 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in LXC before 1.0.9 and 2.x before 2.0.6, published on 1 May 2017. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-8649 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: LXC before 1.0.9 and 2.x before 2.0.6. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-8649/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-8649/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-8649
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-8649
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-8649

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-8649/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.