# CVE-2026-50195: containerd: CRI checkpoint import allows local image tag poisoning

> Attackers can poison local image caches via crafted checkpoints, causing other pods to execute malicious code under their identity.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.6 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/SA:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 1 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 1 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-90164, BELL-CVE-2026-50195, CLEANSTART-2026-AA50844, CLEANSTART-2026-CQ05978, CLEANSTART-2026-XK43676, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-50195, ECHO-7701-d2f8-6b76, GHSA-cvxm-645q-p574, GO-2026-5338, MINI-25gg-vq6w-5q3v, MINI-2845-w44m-pcrh, MINI-29mv-m28m-8ppr, MINI-2fp5-2fc8-h75h, MINI-2jcw-ggp5-6x54, MINI-2mgc-c7f9-qcff, MINI-2pv9-rjx7-fgm2, MINI-2q8v-qj33-hx4c, MINI-2qhx-qw7g-3x5r, MINI-2rh4-m28j-rjmj, MINI-2rrq-28p4-9v8w, MINI-36x6-8cpc-3v54, MINI-38r8-ch8v-mx9q, MINI-3cv6-h9p4-f9fr, MINI-3m7j-8f57-9m92, MINI-3mmr-8j3w-q548, MINI-3qmx-vhf2-mjgq, MINI-3v5r-4vrf-crh2, MINI-43hg-xc4g-pgq4, MINI-44vp-m99q-wc9p, MINI-4627-57vv-prfp, MINI-46v7-2696-vhh4, MINI-477r-2xj4-92wh, MINI-47m4-89jg-98vx, MINI-486f-rrpf-p59c, MINI-488f-2p62-88wr, MINI-48xq-8qq4-vwg6, MINI-49hr-2w8j-wvm2, MINI-4c4h-f3wq-jf6h, MINI-4gmm-w4fm-px7q, MINI-4hjh-5x97-2jv2, MINI-4j5h-767v-mrg2, MINI-4p6v-3wj2-489f, MINI-4r4r-5348-m3wm, MINI-4vvp-whh5-6h5g, MINI-53w9-8w9j-6mf2, MINI-54c7-mm73-ghcg, MINI-54p9-m86v-6hx5, MINI-54r8-mmvx-hqrq, MINI-583f-cmx3-hvv2, MINI-58c2-rr89-x778, MINI-5967-4mp9-9376, MINI-5jgv-rcp2-rw8x, MINI-5mpf-47c4-2h4j, MINI-5p22-r9wh-4xw7, MINI-5p6v-hgqx-fg4v, MINI-62jh-r75p-mhc9, MINI-643f-7f6p-p3fv, MINI-65pv-f2q8-5w62, MINI-66hw-wh53-57rx, MINI-66rg-23j4-qv97, MINI-67h6-gpvm-pq64, MINI-67qw-65q9-pq8q, MINI-68qw-ff6h-q8w2, MINI-68rq-hvwv-pxhr, MINI-6c6j-rx8r-m78p, MINI-6f87-7hq5-qv2w, MINI-6h5f-cfxq-24gv, MINI-6p72-j63j-8j84, MINI-6phq-qjw4-m6hp, MINI-6pmf-9cqx-cg9x, MINI-6qw3-7mxp-62qq, MINI-6r82-44r6-6mm5, MINI-6wgm-p6gf-7q7m, MINI-6wp8-p4r6-gmpc, MINI-735j-xjh2-jq55, MINI-74m9-jmxr-r78p, MINI-754w-qh2m-3frf, MINI-757w-ggrr-jrqj, MINI-7g6g-3cj6-8m4j, MINI-7j63-8xqm-27xc, MINI-7v57-vr9v-3fw4, MINI-7wmp-j25v-hr33, MINI-7xvh-rpcc-f5hg, MINI-82rh-8cw8-86pm, MINI-832q-h94r-frvf, MINI-838x-cj28-49rr, MINI-84r3-9c88-p93g, MINI-858r-j26r-rqvq, MINI-87j9-cw6q-fcph, MINI-89h9-gg3c-r288, MINI-8mmx-h3h4-63cx, MINI-8mpx-fmgh-5w68, MINI-8rqc-w66c-h546, MINI-8vr2-fv87-7m43, MINI-8vxm-474f-3g69, MINI-8xr8-p6h8-p28m, MINI-95c7-739p-rj2v, MINI-95f5-8ghf-j3xm, MINI-95w9-xxxr-ffgp, MINI-968x-95q7-p5wc, MINI-96mv-3xrr-qfr9, MINI-98cw-j3gh-mxw3, MINI-99mr-rprq-77g7, MINI-9qrh-x89j-3fc5, MINI-9rf9-366p-g9m4, MINI-9xpg-m5m8-rghh, MINI-c26f-4799-vpw4, MINI-c3j9-cgv2-5cc7, MINI-c7cm-fqm5-jfq8, MINI-c7fg-g863-ffp5, MINI-c8vc-h9j3-w49m, MINI-cfj4-fchq-8c4v, MINI-cj4f-6cjr-68jc, MINI-cjh9-v45w-v3rc, MINI-cm76-r5xw-pfpr, MINI-cmhr-5wj3-xx67, MINI-cqc3-hrgp-h39g, MINI-crjf-jjhg-3886, MINI-cvpj-5r48-2v6w, MINI-cx33-2w9m-2x8v, MINI-f4j4-fr83-4x3x, MINI-f5wm-8hpj-pvwg, MINI-f72g-r5gx-w42h, MINI-f745-48c3-jrpj, MINI-f7wp-qj73-q2v2, MINI-ffcr-j632-jwx6, MINI-fq82-2fjf-9jq6, MINI-fqv6-hxqg-mx6p, MINI-fr2c-grfr-f8r9, MINI-fr66-wgqh-748h, MINI-fr8f-f22c-r5f6, MINI-frx5-gpjv-c6wj, MINI-fww8-fhwg-p5j6, MINI-g298-xv7c-qgvh, MINI-g34x-p2r6-4wgv, MINI-g3q6-p96v-ppfp, MINI-g4qq-4x7q-phg9, MINI-g556-4rh9-j9h6, MINI-g584-6xgv-276f, MINI-g66w-v9gq-x6vj, MINI-g6r5-mhqm-m7vm, MINI-g9jg-j7xw-rwv9, MINI-gf5v-x6qj-q487, MINI-gfm2-8832-748p, MINI-gfvr-8vf6-98pq, MINI-ggqm-pf8q-88jw, MINI-gmxf-cmv3-vg33, MINI-gqr8-c3hh-5pw2, MINI-gqwq-j34f-8pg7, MINI-grc3-mr3q-43q4, MINI-grcm-978v-7r9x, MINI-grcx-wc4v-vgcv, MINI-h2f8-jmhh-q69q, MINI-h4g6-6rgf-6h46, MINI-h5xv-7877-9rvf, MINI-h89j-cgfr-hvwx, MINI-h8v7-38g7-qxgf, MINI-hgp2-2w2h-cvj2, MINI-hhjp-j7f8-4xrx, MINI-hj4f-h4hr-qx9v, MINI-hm34-fg3h-qqjw, MINI-hx9x-3c6h-j4hg, MINI-j2qh-mqfv-8rg4, MINI-j3jj-mgqm-83gq, MINI-j74m-f539-v48m, MINI-j79j-cgpv-c7mq, MINI-jfwm-35p2-x7m5, MINI-jg6j-f9r2-jcj5, MINI-jgv4-9gj5-483j, MINI-jjjq-5mx4-jfw7, MINI-jjr3-7wj7-rv9c, MINI-jmrf-xqwf-v4hp, MINI-jp52-45m5-4q4q, MINI-jpvq-7663-xmqm, MINI-jqf7-xww3-3886, MINI-jrm3-c5pf-x8cx, MINI-jv62-jrc2-pvm2, MINI-jw8p-h453-3x37, MINI-jxf9-683h-vvg5, MINI-m2g2-54p6-27mp, MINI-m36q-xphv-g4w5, MINI-m6p8-m878-vw5h, MINI-m6wr-8vg9-8h3r, MINI-m86j-fv9c-gvp8, MINI-mff3-7vjx-849v, MINI-mh39-6294-c3f3, MINI-mj8j-xwpg-7m46, MINI-mwgf-39vc-56v5, MINI-p2fq-465x-4gjp, MINI-p3jg-8fmh-8wrh, MINI-p4vv-fv7q-fxrf, MINI-p778-cc6p-p35j, MINI-p89m-wf27-cqp4, MINI-pc53-4f85-34w3, MINI-pg36-mrv4-9rjv, MINI-pg49-c44g-fcv8, MINI-pm99-6xfq-7fxw, MINI-pqj5-c43q-9c9w, MINI-pqm4-x622-27vf, MINI-pr47-5phg-fg9p, MINI-prfq-hvrx-9pgf, MINI-q22p-p3hg-gjv4, MINI-q268-2r55-fvgv, MINI-q2mp-4wqx-6h7q, MINI-q5mx-mrh6-9567, MINI-q5x5-gpcx-6g7m, MINI-q8vc-639f-chgw, MINI-qcw3-x846-ph36, MINI-qf6g-v6hg-9wf3, MINI-qgmm-rm55-45x2, MINI-qjg4-34g7-4xfx, MINI-qpm2-4gx6-3frq, MINI-qq2c-7rxx-jcwq, MINI-qr58-p8x3-w6cf, MINI-qwhv-qg33-276f, MINI-qxc3-r8pr-mrqq, MINI-r5f6-2hvc-gq2p, MINI-r8p5-q8rm-64xp, MINI-rc59-xhv6-84pm, MINI-rc5w-f8p8-wgw7, MINI-rfh7-4gv9-95pg, MINI-rhrr-9f9q-rc2v, MINI-rjhw-gjm5-rjw5, MINI-rjr7-vr93-vg78, MINI-rp75-hrv3-5h5p, MINI-rpmj-rfvq-3pcf, MINI-rpx5-qrgq-wm7h, MINI-rq85-928g-9w8f, MINI-rqhp-3cx5-f3rj, MINI-rqj2-35fx-7w4w, MINI-rrxf-qr6r-mqqc, MINI-rv6j-w64q-5hgh, MINI-rwf5-c3wm-2m88, MINI-v2c4-mxqp-55r4, MINI-v45p-w5fp-cwcr, MINI-v46f-2mv5-7xqm, MINI-v59m-27mh-rqmx, MINI-v892-m74p-g3xm, MINI-v8c2-fpj6-f7rh, MINI-v8fh-5prq-xgxh, MINI-v8x5-pvfm-7gv6, MINI-vr2r-f7hv-98cx, MINI-vr88-m9x8-jf4r, MINI-vrr3-j6mh-w684, MINI-vv9m-22pq-x892, MINI-w2q7-47xr-f7v5, MINI-w3j3-4qp3-76rw, MINI-w5x6-wfxc-5hr3, MINI-wc9j-wg2w-7v5h, MINI-wcwj-4jgm-5992, MINI-wf8m-mmmp-7pxp, MINI-wj4p-rr75-45wg, MINI-wj6j-fxjh-f3qp, MINI-wpjf-jxjc-c3c9, MINI-wqcq-wpp6-wg6g, MINI-wqrh-6g26-c7q2, MINI-wr45-vx42-7wfj, MINI-wr5v-2g76-8r26, MINI-wrjm-pmh2-7j9f, MINI-ww6h-36jw-j4m2, MINI-wx9j-rvm7-rvpw, MINI-x5rc-8xpj-7pv6, MINI-x955-vxrf-cpg2, MINI-xp84-rpw6-74r5, MINI-xvgf-8r38-x3gj, MINI-xwc7-3q26-ff3m, MINI-xwvp-8rqh-qrg2

## What is CVE-2026-50195?

CVE-2026-50195 is a medium-severity vulnerability in containerd, published on 1 Jul 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

containerd is an open-source container runtime. Versions prior to 2.3.2, 2.2.5 and 2.1.9 contain a vulnerability in the CRI checkpoint import process where it fails to validate the image references specified within a checkpoint image's configuration. An attacker with permissions to create pods can use a crafted checkpoint image to force containerd to pull a malicious image and assign it an arbitrary local tag, thereby poisoning the node's local image cache. Subsequently, if other pods on the same node attempt to use the poisoned tag with an IfNotPresent (or Never) pull policy, they will unknowingly execute the attacker's malicious image instead of the legitimate one. This can lead to a compromise of the affected pods, allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary code under the victim pod's identity. This issue has been fixed in versions 2.3.2, 2.2.5 and 2.1.9.

Weakness: CWE-829 (Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere), CWE-345 (Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-50195?

8 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 and github.com/containerd/containerd. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/containerd/containerd/v2` | Go | From 2.1.0 | 2.1.9, 2.2.5, 2.3.2 |
| `github.com/containerd/containerd/v2` | Go | From 2.1.0 | 2.1.9 |
| `github.com/containerd/containerd/v2` | Go | From 2.1.0 | 2.1.9 |
| `github.com/containerd/containerd/v2` | Go | From 2.2.0 | 2.2.5 |
| `github.com/containerd/containerd/v2` | Go | From 2.2.0 | 2.2.5 |
| `github.com/containerd/containerd/v2` | Go | From 2.3.0 | 2.3.2 |
| `github.com/containerd/containerd/v2` | Go | From 2.3.0 | 2.3.2 |
| `github.com/containerd/containerd` | Go | All versions | None |

Products: Linuxfoundation Containerd.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-50195?

Upgrade github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 to a fixed version for your release line: 2.1.9, 2.2.5 or 2.3.2.

## Is CVE-2026-50195 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-50195 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in containerd

- [CVE-2026-53488](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53488/): containerd CRI — image-config `LABEL` flows to restart-monitor `binary://` logger: host-root command execution from an image pull (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2026-53492](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53492/): containerd CRI checkpoint restore CDI annotation smuggling (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2026-53489](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53489/): containerd: Arbitrary host CRI log file read via symlink following in CRI checkpoint restore (high 8.2)
- [CVE-2025-47290](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-47290/): Containerd vulnerable to host filesystem access during image unpack (high 7.6)
- [CVE-2026-46680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46680/): containerd user ID handling bypass allows runAsNonRoot evasion (high 7.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-50195 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-50195 is a medium-severity vulnerability in containerd, published on 1 Jul 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-50195 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (Go): affected from 2.1.0; fixed in 2.1.9, 2.2.5, 2.3.2
- github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (Go): affected from 2.1.0; fixed in 2.1.9
- github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (Go): affected from 2.1.0; fixed in 2.1.9
- github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (Go): affected from 2.2.0; fixed in 2.2.5
- github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (Go): affected from 2.2.0; fixed in 2.2.5
- github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (Go): affected from 2.3.0; fixed in 2.3.2
- github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (Go): affected from 2.3.0; fixed in 2.3.2
- github.com/containerd/containerd (Go): affected all versions; no fix listed

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-2026-50195/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-50195/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-50195
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-50195
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-50195

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-50195/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.