CVE-2019-11251 Vulnerability Analysis & Exploit Details

CVE-2019-11251
Vulnerability Scoring

5.7
/10
Significant Risk

Security assessments indicate that CVE-2019-11251 presents a notable risk, potentially requiring prompt mitigation.

Attack Complexity Details

  • Attack Complexity: Low
    Exploits can be performed without significant complexity or special conditions.
  • Attack Vector: Network
    Vulnerability is exploitable over a network without physical access.
  • Privileges Required: Low
    Some privileges are necessary to exploit the vulnerability.
  • Scope: Unchanged
    Exploit remains within the originally vulnerable component.
  • User Interaction: Required
    User interaction is necessary for successful exploitation.

CVE-2019-11251 Details

Status: Analyzed

Last updated: 🕠 06 Feb 2020, 17:37 UTC
Originally published on: 🕓 03 Feb 2020, 16:15 UTC

Time between publication and last update: 3 days

CVSS Release: version 3

CVSS3 Source

nvd@nist.gov

CVSS3 Type

Primary

CVSS3 Vector

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

CVE-2019-11251 Vulnerability Summary

CVE-2019-11251: The Kubernetes kubectl cp command in versions 1.1-1.12, and versions prior to 1.13.11, 1.14.7, and 1.15.4 allows a combination of two symlinks provided by tar output of a malicious container to place a file outside of the destination directory specified in the kubectl cp invocation. This could be used to allow an attacker to place a nefarious file using a symlink, outside of the destination tree.

Assessing the Risk of CVE-2019-11251

Access Complexity Graph

The exploitability of CVE-2019-11251 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).

Exploitability Analysis for CVE-2019-11251

CVE-2019-11251 presents an accessible attack vector with minimal effort required. Restricting access controls and implementing security updates are critical to reducing exploitation risks.

Understanding AC and PR

A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.

Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.

Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.

CVSS Score Breakdown Chart

Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2019-11251, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.

CIA Impact Analysis

Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2019-11251, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.

  • Confidentiality: None
    CVE-2019-11251 has no significant impact on data confidentiality.
  • Integrity: High
    CVE-2019-11251 could allow unauthorized modifications to data, potentially affecting system reliability and trust.
  • Availability: None
    CVE-2019-11251 does not impact system availability.

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

The EPSS score estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the near future.

EPSS Score: 0.05% (probability of exploit)

EPSS Percentile: 23.0% (lower percentile = lower relative risk)
This vulnerability is less risky than approximately 77.0% of others.

CVE-2019-11251 References

External References

CWE Common Weakness Enumeration

CWE-61

CAPEC Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification

  • Leveraging Race Conditions via Symbolic Links CAPEC-27 This attack leverages the use of symbolic links (Symlinks) in order to write to sensitive files. An attacker can create a Symlink link to a target file not otherwise accessible to them. When the privileged program tries to create a temporary file with the same name as the Symlink link, it will actually write to the target file pointed to by the attackers' Symlink link. If the attacker can insert malicious content in the temporary file they will be writing to the sensitive file by using the Symlink. The race occurs because the system checks if the temporary file exists, then creates the file. The attacker would typically create the Symlink during the interval between the check and the creation of the temporary file.

Vulnerable Configurations

  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:beta1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:beta1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:beta2:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:beta2:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:alpha0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:alpha0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:alpha1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:alpha1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:alpha2:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:alpha2:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:alpha3:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.0:alpha3:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.1:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.1:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.2:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.2:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.2:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.2:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.3:-:*:*:*:-:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.3:-:*:*:*:-:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.3:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.3:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.4:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.4:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.4:*:*:*:*:-:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.4:*:*:*:*:-:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.4:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.4:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.5:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.5:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.5:*:*:*:*:-:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.5:*:*:*:*:-:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.5:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.5:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.6:-:*:*:*:-:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.6:-:*:*:*:-:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.6:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.6:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.7:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.7:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.7:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.7:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.8:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.8:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.8:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.8:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.9:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.9:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.9:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.9:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.10:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.10:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.10:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.13.10:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.0:-:*:*:*:-:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.0:-:*:*:*:-:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.0:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.0:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.0:beta1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.0:beta1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.0:beta2:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.0:beta2:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.0:alpha0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.0:alpha0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.0:alpha1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.0:alpha1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.0:alpha2:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.0:alpha2:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.0:alpha3:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.0:alpha3:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.1:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.1:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.2:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.2:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.2:-:*:*:*:-:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.2:-:*:*:*:-:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.2:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.2:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.3:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.3:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.3:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.3:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.4:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.4:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.4:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.4:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.5:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.5:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.5:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.5:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.6:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.6:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.6:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.14.6:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.0:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.0:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.0:beta1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.0:beta1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.0:beta2:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.0:beta2:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.0:alpha0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.0:alpha0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.0:alpha1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.0:alpha1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.0:alpha2:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.0:alpha2:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.0:alpha3:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.0:alpha3:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.1:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.1:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.2:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.2:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.2:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.2:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.3:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.3:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.3:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.15.3:beta0:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.1-1.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:kubernetes:kubernetes:1.1-1.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

Protect Your Infrastructure against CVE-2019-11251: Combat Critical CVE Threats

Stay updated with real-time CVE vulnerabilities and take action to secure your systems. Enhance your cybersecurity posture with the latest threat intelligence and mitigation techniques. Develop the skills necessary to defend against CVEs and secure critical infrastructures. Join the top cybersecurity professionals safeguarding today's infrastructures.

Other 5 Recently Published CVEs Vulnerabilities

  • CVE-2025-2129 – A vulnerability was found in Mage AI 0.9.75. It has been classified as problematic. This affects an unknown part. The manipulation leads to insecur...
  • CVE-2025-2127 – A vulnerability was found in JoomlaUX JUX Real Estate 3.4.0 on Joomla. It has been classified as problematic. Affected is an unknown function of th...
  • CVE-2025-2126 – A vulnerability was found in JoomlaUX JUX Real Estate 3.4.0 on Joomla and classified as critical. This issue affects some unknown processing of the...
  • CVE-2025-2125 – A vulnerability has been found in Control iD RH iD 25.2.25.0 and classified as problematic. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the file /v2...
  • CVE-2025-2124 – A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, was found in Control iD RH iD 25.2.25.0. This affects an unknown part of the file /v2/custome...