# CVE-2023-32684: In Lima, a malicious disk image could read a single file on the host filesystem as a qcow2/vmdk backing file

> A malicious disk image in Lima VMs can read arbitrary host files by exploiting backing file path injection, affecting developers using Lima.

- **Severity:** Low 2.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 30 May 2023
- **Updated:** 10 Jan 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-f7qw-jj9c-rpq9, GO-2023-1803

## What is CVE-2023-32684?

CVE-2023-32684 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in lima-vm lima, published on 30 May 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Lima launches Linux virtual machines, typically on macOS, for running containerd. Prior to version 0.16.0, a virtual machine instance with a malicious disk image could read a single file on the host filesystem, even when no filesystem is mounted from the host. The official templates of Lima and the well-known third party products (Colima, Rancher Desktop, and Finch) are unlikely to be affected by this issue. To exploit this issue, the attacker has to embed the target file path (an absolute or a relative path from the instance directory) in a malicious disk image, as the qcow2 (or vmdk) backing file path string. As Lima refuses to run as the root, it is practically impossible for the attacker to read the entire host disk via `/dev/rdiskN`. Also, practically, the attacker cannot read at least the first 512 bytes (MBR) of the target file. The issue has been patched in Lima in version 0.16.0 by prohibiting using a backing file path in the VM base image.

Weakness: CWE-552 (Files or Directories Accessible to External Parties)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-32684?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/lima-vm/lima. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/lima-vm/lima` | Go | All versions | 0.16.0 |
| `github.com/lima-vm/lima` | Go | All versions | 0.16.0 |
| `github.com/lima-vm/lima` | Go | All versions | 0.16.0 |

Products: Linuxfoundation Lima.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-32684?

Upgrade github.com/lima-vm/lima to 0.16.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2023-32684 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-32684 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-32684 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-32684 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in lima-vm lima, published on 30 May 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-32684 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/lima-vm/lima (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.16.0
- github.com/lima-vm/lima (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.16.0
- github.com/lima-vm/lima (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.16.0

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-2023-32684/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-32684/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-32684
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-32684
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-32684

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-32684/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.