Skip to content

apko is vulnerable to attack through incorrect permissions in /etc/ld.so.cache and other files

High severity GitHub Reviewed Published Jul 18, 2025 in chainguard-dev/apko • Updated Jul 18, 2025

Package

gomod chainguard.dev/apko (Go)

Affected versions

>= 0.27.0, < 0.29.5

Patched versions

0.29.5

Description

It was discovered that the ld.so.cache in images generated by apko had file system permissions mode 0666:

bash-5.3# find / -type f -perm -o+w
/etc/ld.so.cache

This issue was introduced in commit 04f37e2 ("generate /etc/ld.so.cache (#1629)")(v0.27.0).

Impact

This potentially allows a local unprivileged user to add additional additional directories including dynamic libraries to the dynamic loader path. A user could exploit this by placing a malicious library in a directory they control.

Patches

This issue was addressed in apko in aedb077 ("fix: /etc/ld.so.cache file permissions (#1758)") (v0.29.5).

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Cody Harris from H2O.ai for reporting this issue.

References

@eslerm eslerm published to chainguard-dev/apko Jul 18, 2025
Published by the National Vulnerability Database Jul 18, 2025
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Jul 18, 2025
Reviewed Jul 18, 2025
Last updated Jul 18, 2025

Severity

High

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
High
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
Low
Availability
Low

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:L

EPSS score

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

This score estimates the probability of this vulnerability being exploited within the next 30 days. Data provided by FIRST.
(1st percentile)

Weaknesses

Incorrect Default Permissions

During installation, installed file permissions are set to allow anyone to modify those files. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2025-53945

GHSA ID

GHSA-x6ph-r535-3vjw

Source code

Credits

Loading Checking history
See something to contribute? Suggest improvements for this vulnerability.