containerd RunAsNonRoot Bypass via Large UID (v1.7.32/2.0.9/2.2.4/2.3.1)
CVE-2026-46680 Published on July 1, 2026
containerd user ID handling bypass allows runAsNonRoot evasion
containerd is an open-source container runtime. In versions prior to 1.7.32, 2.0.9, 2.2.4 and 2.3.1, containers launched with a numeric User directive that cannot be parsed as a 32-bit integer are incorrectly treated as a username, leading to runAsNonRoot evasion. If a crafted image provides an /etc/passwd file mapping this large numeric string to root, the container ultimately runs as root (UID 0). This allows the Kubernetes runAsNonRoot restriction to be bypassed, causing unexpected behavior for environments that require containers to run as a non-root user. This issue has been fixed in versions 1.7.32, 2.0.9, 2.2.4 and 2.3.1.
Weakness Type
Improper Privilege Management
The software does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.
Affected Versions
containerd:- Version < 1.7.32 is affected.
- Version >= 2.0.4, < 2.0.9 is affected.
- Version >= 2.0.10, < 2.2.4 is affected.
- Version >= 2.2.5, < 2.3.1 is affected.