Vulnerability-Lookup

GHSA-J3RW-FX6G-Q46J

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-12-02 21:10 – Updated: 2025-12-02 21:10

Summary

Apptainer ineffectively applies selinux and apparmor --security options

Details

Impact

In Apptainer versions less than 1.4.5, a container can disable two of the forms of the little used --security option, in particular the forms --security=apparmor:<profile> and --security=selinux:<label> which otherwise put restrictions on operations that containers can do. The --security option has always been mentioned in Apptainer documentation as being a feature for the root user, although these forms do also work for unprivileged users on systems where the corresponding feature is enabled. Apparmor is enabled by default on Debian-based distributions and SElinux is enabled by default on RHEL-based distributions, but on SUSE it depends on the distribution version.

In addition, a bug in the detection of selinux support in Apptainer's suid mode means that --security selinux:<label> flags may not be applied, even in the absence of an attack. In that case a warning message is emitted indicating that selinux is unavailable, but the warning may be may be overlooked, mis-interpreted, or not seen when apptainer is run from a script or other tool. Failure to apply requested restrictions should result in a fatal error rather than just a warning message.

Patches

Ineffective write of selinux process labels is addressed via an update to the containers/selinux dependency in https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/pull/3226. That update brings in the upstream fix for https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-cgrx-mc8f-2prm which was for a different but related vulnerability.

Ineffective write of apparmor process profiles is addressed in commit 4313b42.

Failure to detect apparmor / selinux support, when --security flags are provided, is made an error rather than a warning in commit 82f1790.

Workarounds

There are no known workarounds, other than to define system-wide apparmor / selinux policy for Apptainer itself. This would apply to all containers, not just those run with the --security flags, and could impact the operation of Apptainer itself.

References

Thanks to Sylabs for finding this issue, fixing it in https://github.com/sylabs/singularity/security/advisories/GHSA-wwrx-w7c9-rf87 which was easy to import into Apptainer, and disclosing it early to the Apptainer project for a coordinated release.

The related upstream runc disclosure which inspired the investigation is https://github.com/opencontainers/runc/security/advisories/GHSA-cgrx-mc8f-2prm.

Severity

4.5 (Medium)


                  
                    CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

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{
  "affected": [
    {
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "Go",
        "name": "github.com/apptainer/apptainer"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "1.4.5"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2025-65105"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-61",
      "CWE-706"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2025-12-02T21:10:04Z",
    "nvd_published_at": "2025-12-02T18:15:48Z",
    "severity": "MODERATE"
  },
  "details": "### Impact\nIn Apptainer versions less than 1.4.5, a container can disable two of the forms of the little used `--security` option, in particular the forms `--security=apparmor:\u003cprofile\u003e` and `--security=selinux:\u003clabel\u003e` which otherwise put restrictions on operations that containers can do.  The `--security` option has always been mentioned in Apptainer documentation as being a feature for the root user, although these forms do also work for unprivileged users on systems where the corresponding feature is enabled.  Apparmor is enabled by default on Debian-based distributions and SElinux is enabled by default on RHEL-based distributions, but on SUSE it depends on the distribution version.\n\nIn addition, a bug in the detection of selinux support in Apptainer\u0027s suid mode means that `--security selinux:\u003clabel\u003e` flags may not be applied, even in the absence of an attack.  In that case a warning message is emitted indicating that selinux is unavailable, but the warning may be may be overlooked, mis-interpreted, or not seen when apptainer is run from a script or other tool.  Failure to apply requested restrictions should result in a fatal error rather than just a warning message.\n\n### Patches\nIneffective write of selinux process labels is addressed via an update to the containers/selinux dependency in https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/pull/3226. That update brings in the upstream fix for https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-cgrx-mc8f-2prm which was for a different but related vulnerability.\n\nIneffective write of apparmor process profiles is addressed in commit 4313b42.\n\nFailure to detect apparmor / selinux support, when --security flags are provided, is made an error rather than a warning in commit 82f1790.\n\n### Workarounds\nThere are no known workarounds, other than to define system-wide apparmor / selinux policy for Apptainer itself. This would apply to all containers, not just those run with the `--security` flags, and could impact the operation of Apptainer itself.\n\n### References\nThanks to Sylabs for finding this issue, fixing it in https://github.com/sylabs/singularity/security/advisories/GHSA-wwrx-w7c9-rf87 which was easy to import into Apptainer, and disclosing it early to the Apptainer project for a coordinated release.\n\nThe related upstream runc disclosure which inspired the investigation is https://github.com/opencontainers/runc/security/advisories/GHSA-cgrx-mc8f-2prm.",
  "id": "GHSA-j3rw-fx6g-q46j",
  "modified": "2025-12-02T21:10:04Z",
  "published": "2025-12-02T21:10:04Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/security/advisories/GHSA-j3rw-fx6g-q46j"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/opencontainers/runc/security/advisories/GHSA-cgrx-mc8f-2prm"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/sylabs/singularity/security/advisories/GHSA-wwrx-w7c9-rf87"
    },
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-65105"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/pull/3226"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/commit/4313b42717e18a4add7dd7503528bc15af905981"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/commit/82f17900a0c31bc769bf9b4612d271c7068d8bf2"
    },
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "Apptainer ineffectively applies selinux and apparmor --security options"
}

CVE-2025-65105 (GCVE-0-2025-65105)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2025-12-02 17:49 – Updated: 2025-12-02 18:46

Title

Apptainer ineffective application of selinux and apparmor --security options

Summary

Apptainer is an open source container platform. In Apptainer versions less than 1.4.5, a container can disable two of the forms of the little used --security option, in particular the forms --security=apparmor:<profile> and --security=selinux:<label> which otherwise put restrictions on operations that containers can do. The --security option has always been mentioned in Apptainer documentation as being a feature for the root user, although these forms do also work for unprivileged users on systems where the corresponding feature is enabled. Apparmor is enabled by default on Debian-based distributions and SElinux is enabled by default on RHEL-based distributions, but on SUSE it depends on the distribution version. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.4.5.

Severity

4.5 (Medium)


                        
                          CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

SSVC

Exploitation: none Automatable: no Technical Impact: partial

CISA Coordinator · CISA-ADP (v2.0.3)

Decision recorded 2025-12-02 18:43 UTC

CWE

CWE-61 - UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following
CWE-706 - Use of Incorrectly-Resolved Name or Reference

Assigner

GitHub_M mitre root

References

6 references

URL	Tags
https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/security/a…	x_refsource_CONFIRM
https://github.com/opencontainers/runc/security/a…	x_refsource_MISC
https://github.com/sylabs/singularity/security/ad…	x_refsource_MISC
https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/pull/3226	x_refsource_MISC
https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/commit/431…	x_refsource_MISC
https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/commit/82f…	x_refsource_MISC

Impacted products

1 product

Vendor	Product	Version
apptainer	apptainer	Affected: < 1.4.5

Show details on NVD website

JSON

To clipboard

{
  "containers": {
    "adp": [
      {
        "metrics": [
          {
            "other": {
              "content": {
                "id": "CVE-2025-65105",
                "options": [
                  {
                    "Exploitation": "none"
                  },
                  {
                    "Automatable": "no"
                  },
                  {
                    "Technical Impact": "partial"
                  }
                ],
                "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                "timestamp": "2025-12-02T18:43:58.398576Z",
                "version": "2.0.3"
              },
              "type": "ssvc"
            }
          }
        ],
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2025-12-02T18:46:30.677Z",
          "orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
          "shortName": "CISA-ADP"
        },
        "title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
      }
    ],
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "product": "apptainer",
          "vendor": "apptainer",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "\u003c 1.4.5"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "Apptainer is an open source container platform. In Apptainer versions less than 1.4.5, a container can disable two of the forms of the little used --security option, in particular the forms --security=apparmor:\u003cprofile\u003e and --security=selinux:\u003clabel\u003e which otherwise put restrictions on operations that containers can do. The --security option has always been mentioned in Apptainer documentation as being a feature for the root user, although these forms do also work for unprivileged users on systems where the corresponding feature is enabled. Apparmor is enabled by default on Debian-based distributions and SElinux is enabled by default on RHEL-based distributions, but on SUSE it depends on the distribution version. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.4.5."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "attackComplexity": "HIGH",
            "attackVector": "LOCAL",
            "availabilityImpact": "LOW",
            "baseScore": 4.5,
            "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
            "confidentialityImpact": "LOW",
            "integrityImpact": "LOW",
            "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
            "scope": "UNCHANGED",
            "userInteraction": "REQUIRED",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L",
            "version": "3.1"
          }
        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-61",
              "description": "CWE-61: UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-706",
              "description": "CWE-706: Use of Incorrectly-Resolved Name or Reference",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2025-12-02T17:49:17.312Z",
        "orgId": "a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa",
        "shortName": "GitHub_M"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/security/advisories/GHSA-j3rw-fx6g-q46j",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_CONFIRM"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/security/advisories/GHSA-j3rw-fx6g-q46j"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/opencontainers/runc/security/advisories/GHSA-cgrx-mc8f-2prm",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/opencontainers/runc/security/advisories/GHSA-cgrx-mc8f-2prm"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/sylabs/singularity/security/advisories/GHSA-wwrx-w7c9-rf87",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/sylabs/singularity/security/advisories/GHSA-wwrx-w7c9-rf87"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/pull/3226",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/pull/3226"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/commit/4313b42717e18a4add7dd7503528bc15af905981",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/commit/4313b42717e18a4add7dd7503528bc15af905981"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/commit/82f17900a0c31bc769bf9b4612d271c7068d8bf2",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/apptainer/apptainer/commit/82f17900a0c31bc769bf9b4612d271c7068d8bf2"
        }
      ],
      "source": {
        "advisory": "GHSA-j3rw-fx6g-q46j",
        "discovery": "UNKNOWN"
      },
      "title": "Apptainer ineffective application of selinux and apparmor --security options"
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa",
    "assignerShortName": "GitHub_M",
    "cveId": "CVE-2025-65105",
    "datePublished": "2025-12-02T17:49:17.312Z",
    "dateReserved": "2025-11-17T20:55:34.693Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2025-12-02T18:46:30.677Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2"
}

Sightings

Author	Source	Type	Date	Other

Nomenclature

Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.

Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.

The MITRE ATT&CK techniques below are AI-generated suggestions, inferred from the description of the vulnerability by the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-classification-roberta-base model, served locally by ML-Gateway. They have not been verified by an analyst and are provided for guidance only.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.
Browse all ATT&CK techniques and the vulnerabilities related to each.

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Action not permitted

GHSA-J3RW-FX6G-Q46J

Impact

Patches

Workarounds

References

CVE-2025-65105 (GCVE-0-2025-65105)

Tags

Sightings

Nomenclature

Related by attack behaviour