# CVE-2026-95838: containerd: Unpack DoS via repeated opaque whiteouts > A malicious image layer can cause excessive CPU consumption and delayed startup in containerd by triggering repeated directory traversals during unpacking. - **Severity:** Medium 4.6 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA: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:** 12 Oct 2026 - **Updated:** 13 Oct 2026 - **Also known as:** AZL-108008, AZL-108053, AZL-108068, AZL-108072, AZL-108075, AZL-108078, BELL-CVE-2026-95838, CLEANSTART-2026-GW76003, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-95838, ECHO-b763-21be-87b8, GHSA-rp3h-jf77-q9p4, GO-2026-6796, MINI-23jh-vvqc-jpgm, MINI-24xg-4pj8-jrm7, MINI-25x9-rc3j-r945, MINI-26g5-6j7c-pj6m, MINI-28v3-fxxm-7hr6, MINI-28x9-pj44-7v9m, MINI-2936-9j89-2x3x, MINI-2cgj-j37c-x4jx, MINI-2g53-2c2m-x94h, MINI-2g7v-4c52-mv53, MINI-2g8q-prww-9879, MINI-2h22-xph6-8hr8, MINI-2h6p-hm6c-wphj, MINI-2rqr-wp57-37w8, MINI-3285-fq5m-rc86, MINI-32c6-72cg-rffg, MINI-334j-6v5f-94rg, MINI-34g5-xhh4-4hvc, MINI-3648-fmgm-jhwv, MINI-37hh-c6vx-x9p4, MINI-389q-238q-8qrc, MINI-38g6-39vm-r62v, MINI-39qp-f2x7-9mcq, MINI-3g9f-7v6f-cvcf, MINI-3grh-wj35-gr74, MINI-3hg9-g7pp-6f3m, MINI-3hj8-x8mq-g92r, MINI-3j4w-vpwm-jc72, MINI-3mmr-rjmv-rmj5, MINI-3rj3-4fjw-pwf4, MINI-3v7q-7pch-p6fx, MINI-3xpj-qwr3-4467, MINI-429m-jcvv-c8x7, MINI-42qc-m6qj-pr46, MINI-43cm-j9jg-pc6v, MINI-44jg-jp52-qvr3, MINI-457j-gc66-qqvc, MINI-45v4-63jg-fg35, MINI-467h-cr43-c93r, MINI-48r2-wqgg-xpxh, MINI-49r4-2w4r-p2rr, MINI-49rw-rcmp-r2rw, MINI-4g4x-5qvc-rc47, MINI-4jhr-37x3-x65g, MINI-4rj6-p9fx-rxr3, MINI-4v55-9vhv-cxxr, MINI-52gm-rcqr-h5xc, MINI-52q4-487m-645x, MINI-564f-8cv3-rj7p, MINI-5677-6748-pxqf, MINI-57r8-r4rv-6jmf, MINI-5f8f-399q-rh59, MINI-5fr7-jmgg-698m, MINI-5fxq-fw5r-gwqq, MINI-5mpx-79q3-wc98, MINI-5p2q-xcrp-546q, MINI-5rx9-33cr-6v42, MINI-5v2v-vw4w-rfww, MINI-5w3m-hcrv-pv9h, MINI-637x-h2cg-h3q7, MINI-63j2-2j6r-ppgq, MINI-645w-j8wj-m3c7, MINI-64c5-44p6-hf3v, MINI-6669-5pg8-43rv, MINI-68gw-rjh2-7466, MINI-69mh-5j2v-hhfc, MINI-6fm7-98gj-8vqq, MINI-6hqh-wqqj-j7jr, MINI-6q6q-63wx-674c, MINI-6qmg-8vjj-rmpf, MINI-6x4j-v26m-hpcg, MINI-7362-57wp-g5qr, MINI-73qh-vhx7-gh8c, MINI-74rv-7q56-fv65, MINI-755j-7w3w-5hfr, MINI-75v7-gw42-p65h, MINI-774p-5v55-697v, MINI-77fj-wx64-9996, MINI-78v5-f97w-5ph8, MINI-7939-p94m-79fm, MINI-79wh-qw97-574r, MINI-7ccm-q272-6m5g, MINI-7cgm-32vw-hmgc, MINI-7fmf-x78w-3h73, MINI-7mgr-5vjj-w649, MINI-7qqw-hv8r-5hff, MINI-7rcg-4g5p-whg3, MINI-7wr4-h9fc-57hv, MINI-829j-rvgf-mjhm, MINI-83w5-p299-j73h, MINI-89h9-96cq-v5r3, MINI-89wr-xwrc-j67q, MINI-8f54-qxgp-fjmc, MINI-8fg3-9g3c-7mrf, MINI-8gvw-2x74-v83w, MINI-8j4w-226f-mvqc, MINI-8jmw-jrvw-xh42, MINI-8pmf-269h-6f93, MINI-8ppx-2ppj-q3xj, MINI-8xcc-f39h-7pc8, MINI-8xpq-f9f4-fx74, MINI-9235-7pp3-pr59, MINI-92jh-37j9-gmp8, MINI-9479-433c-x249, MINI-952v-35hj-6p8v, MINI-95jg-v5c6-f6xx, MINI-965m-fx6q-28pv, MINI-96cc-2g67-vv42, MINI-97g6-867c-mcqf, MINI-9ccj-v26w-7p68, MINI-9fm8-v37p-f649, MINI-9ggq-8gw7-jwmr, MINI-9gxr-gffr-wrpc, MINI-9h4q-fj63-xw47, MINI-9jhh-p834-r3hw, MINI-9m8j-j63x-g3f7, MINI-9mgg-jhrw-4c96, MINI-9p6f-5645-553p, MINI-9qq8-9hwj-pqvc, MINI-9vp9-7j3p-7q46, MINI-9vv9-cw42-xhrq, MINI-9x9q-xcqr-5gwc, MINI-c62f-wj8h-hc3x, MINI-c6qf-gx87-gg6c, MINI-c77c-f389-h5hq, MINI-c9m7-6vf6-5rx4, MINI-chcw-qx96-qff7, MINI-cm8x-c932-6344, MINI-cp5x-rfx5-44hh, MINI-cpjj-w42x-6g55, MINI-cprh-4h78-xh43, MINI-cprm-54qm-6422, MINI-cv39-4jfj-8m3x, MINI-f2wx-qjhc-484f, MINI-f349-hj2q-5p4v, MINI-f3hm-pvhc-mc5p, MINI-f6mh-gf95-rrw3, MINI-f7q8-m58r-mvm3, MINI-f8qr-w47v-797p, MINI-ffhm-629c-9mm6, MINI-fg6p-569m-wxgh, MINI-fgmf-6w2f-c3jh, MINI-fj35-m89m-h9jc, MINI-fj73-rcqg-cmr6, MINI-fjhx-6rv9-w8ww, MINI-fr73-xqr7-7h2v, MINI-fx53-w3p5-v8m8, MINI-g2rv-m6f3-f67m, MINI-g38q-34pc-942h, MINI-g3r5-gg6m-9w7j, MINI-g558-ch75-f3jg, MINI-g79j-vq79-68m8, MINI-g87h-g5qf-738g, MINI-g923-j7pc-77hm, MINI-g989-m89f-644q, MINI-gfvq-67x4-mpc7, MINI-gfwv-5578-69g2, MINI-gj36-w7wx-8f4p, MINI-gr56-952x-59gg, MINI-gr7r-6gmf-5j2g, MINI-gw2h-qfxg-mcvv, MINI-h373-fmh8-p5wf, MINI-h8jw-pghr-9rf4, MINI-h8q8-845v-wqfc, MINI-hf72-wxcx-fr43, MINI-hfwf-2p2c-76w5, MINI-hjfw-r2vp-q3f9, MINI-hmff-8224-xjg8, MINI-hppr-h32q-8h2h, MINI-hvxp-jpp6-6qqf, MINI-hwqj-3278-jm58, MINI-hx2j-cjc6-p77j, MINI-hx2v-wj47-q7vc, MINI-j5jg-gg5j-2685, MINI-j9pf-wc4h-fgf4, MINI-jf5r-r327-gqvj, MINI-jg4q-9j54-5q6p, MINI-jh23-xhj9-f7m5, MINI-jh75-v9jv-hxcc, MINI-jm8f-wxvc-xxrj, MINI-jmfj-qp93-73f3, MINI-jmmq-4p92-4x5w, MINI-jqhx-hc85-q94j, MINI-jvm7-xv2f-x79r, MINI-m23w-mq23-qrjx, MINI-m584-h9vh-v6pr, MINI-m98w-5cxm-q632, MINI-m9mw-65j2-5w39, MINI-m9px-jgxg-rmqv, MINI-mc4v-244p-rp68, MINI-mcjf-3qjg-9x2q, MINI-mcx6-g98w-hcgh, MINI-mf57-ggqm-49f3, MINI-mgfh-2v73-jp56, MINI-mjvm-49xj-x5x3, MINI-mmqj-8vp6-ww8m, MINI-mp45-wf78-cc6h, MINI-mqjg-653m-wj5x, MINI-mrg7-rxqr-v2gp, MINI-mv4q-xp2q-g933, MINI-mw8g-9w4c-qfp3, MINI-mw93-qw47-2f9f, MINI-mwg3-gqv4-82f6, MINI-p36c-8h5v-hjfv, MINI-p3g5-c7g7-23fw, MINI-p3vp-xh7q-5fg5, MINI-p3xc-58hp-r58h, MINI-p4jp-vvvc-w74q, MINI-p564-g4q2-62rm, MINI-p57m-7r38-wx8v, MINI-pf9p-h9mg-m94q, MINI-pm59-r5qj-ww5m, MINI-pmx4-x459-j54x, MINI-ppf3-j898-55jf, MINI-ppjx-9552-357h, MINI-pq8c-7478-v944, MINI-prhc-5qfh-6ccc, MINI-pwmf-39fx-pqvm, MINI-q3pc-wh32-5rcw, MINI-q3vf-36mc-j898, MINI-q4r6-c5vq-4h44, MINI-q5h6-gq79-wj8r, MINI-qhcf-wqqh-h893, MINI-qm76-7f3x-mhvv, MINI-qq6h-6743-768r, MINI-qq87-3vfx-446x, MINI-qqpq-v4pf-w256, MINI-qqqf-5h54-25vp, MINI-qrgg-fx4m-32rv, MINI-qrw7-3fc3-9w67, MINI-qv28-rmj4-wggp, MINI-qv6q-8ww3-6hf3, MINI-qx9c-8j9p-v977, MINI-r289-fxxf-c25v, MINI-r29h-w986-26gc, MINI-r4gq-w3xf-gc34, MINI-r4h4-2347-5h37, MINI-r5w9-x4c7-q65g, MINI-r6f7-82ff-g3xm, MINI-r7xr-rg69-q2wx, MINI-r898-fm8q-cp4p, MINI-r9fq-f6cc-r8mq, MINI-r9g9-gmg5-fq9r, MINI-r9pm-83gq-8552, MINI-rhp9-q43c-6mpj, MINI-rhqf-fjjq-xwvr, MINI-rj4f-cmwj-4r9x, MINI-rpfv-36x2-rq38, MINI-rqm9-54p4-gqc3, MINI-rrh5-h6jx-q67v, MINI-rvx7-hjf5-g65w, MINI-v4vm-j5w9-67pq, MINI-v637-fv85-xfv5, MINI-v99h-cf7p-jh26, MINI-vcq2-q8f6-2cq4, MINI-vf57-vpx3-rvg8, MINI-vfc4-fghw-jh8x, MINI-vm4p-x6mq-hvf3, MINI-vm68-8c5q-9jc7, MINI-vmj6-24r3-r7cr, MINI-vmx7-v6j7-9h9h, MINI-vrpp-2h8m-7phf, MINI-vrr4-xpw6-h79w, MINI-vv6m-q9cr-x2x4, MINI-vw5h-xc4m-cr4f, MINI-vxvp-j5x2-5x2r, MINI-w2r5-p483-952p, MINI-w686-582m-8fmg, MINI-w842-q9pc-qgpc, MINI-w9wj-qgmj-f4g7, MINI-wc3x-54xh-m6m3, MINI-wfjj-c4hv-hfg2, MINI-wfjw-9xjm-p5f3, MINI-wfqq-pp42-5p95, MINI-whgq-w85g-j96m, MINI-wj28-x7w3-8c6x, MINI-wm98-h2hx-hfw5, MINI-wp4c-f5j9-g58j, MINI-wq3q-5pmx-xqhj, MINI-wrgr-54f4-859g, MINI-wvfq-wrcr-jg4j, MINI-x37r-r94x-29v8, MINI-x38h-pfxw-633j, MINI-x65c-2qfc-gq32, MINI-x7xv-j4vx-cpxr, MINI-x877-hgmh-2rxx, MINI-x9q7-q6rw-c42c, MINI-xf94-grw9-wchh, MINI-xfp2-6jxc-fvqv, MINI-xh9w-c673-pvrc, MINI-xq74-w7hf-rvvq, MINI-xv24-48qw-4x97, OESA-2026-4565, OESA-2026-4566, OESA-2026-4567, OESA-2026-4568, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-95838 ## What is CVE-2026-95838? CVE-2026-95838 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in containerd, published on 12 Oct 2026. 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 containerd is an open-source container runtime. Prior to 1.7.35, 2.0.12, 2.2.8, and 2.3.5, containerd's layer unpack handler repeatedly traverses directories for certain opaque whiteout configurations. A malicious image layer can trigger repeated directory traversals while opaque whiteouts are processed. Pulling or importing the image can consume CPU, delay container startup, and reduce image-pull concurrency for unrelated deployments. This issue is fixed in versions 1.7.35, 2.0.12, 2.2.8, and 2.3.5. Weakness: CWE-407 (Inefficient Algorithmic Complexity), CWE-400 (Uncontrolled Resource Consumption) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-95838? 10 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 and github.com/containerd/containerd. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `github.com/containerd/containerd/v2` | Go | All versions | 2.0.12, 2.2.8, 2.3.5 | | `github.com/containerd/containerd/v2` | Go | All versions | 2.0.12 | | `github.com/containerd/containerd/v2` | Go | All versions | 2.0.12 | | `github.com/containerd/containerd/v2` | Go | From 2.2.0 | 2.2.8 | | `github.com/containerd/containerd/v2` | Go | From 2.2.0 | 2.2.8 | | `github.com/containerd/containerd/v2` | Go | From 2.3.0 | 2.3.5 | | `github.com/containerd/containerd/v2` | Go | From 2.3.0 | 2.3.5 | | `github.com/containerd/containerd` | Go | All versions | 1.7.35 | | `github.com/containerd/containerd` | Go | All versions | 1.7.35 | | `github.com/containerd/containerd` | Go | All versions | 1.7.35 | ## How do I fix CVE-2026-95838? Upgrade github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 to a fixed version for your release line: 2.0.12, 2.2.8 or 2.3.5. ## Is CVE-2026-95838 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-95838 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2026-95838 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2026-95838 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in containerd, published on 12 Oct 2026. 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-2026-95838 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected packages and fixed versions: - github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 2.0.12, 2.2.8, 2.3.5 - github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 2.0.12 - github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 2.0.12 - github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (Go): affected from 2.2.0; fixed in 2.2.8 - github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (Go): affected from 2.2.0; fixed in 2.2.8 - github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (Go): affected from 2.3.0; fixed in 2.3.5 - github.com/containerd/containerd/v2 (Go): affected from 2.3.0; fixed in 2.3.5 - github.com/containerd/containerd (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.7.35 - github.com/containerd/containerd (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.7.35 - github.com/containerd/containerd (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.7.35 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-2026-95838/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-95838/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-95838 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-95838 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-95838 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-95838/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.