CVE-2019-5021 json
Versions of the Official Alpine Linux Docker images (since v3.3) contain a NULL password for the `root` user.
published 2019-05-08 7 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2019-14628
- cvss
- 9.8
- version 3.0, CNA
- cisa kev
- Not listed
- not in CISA's catalog
- epss
- 6.3%
- EPSS 6.3% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 93%
- public exploits
- 0
- none known
Summary
Versions of the Official Alpine Linux Docker images (since v3.3) contain a NULL password for the `root` user. This vulnerability appears to be the result of a regression introduced in December of 2015. Due to the nature of this issue, systems deployed using affected versions of the Alpine Linux container which utilize Linux PAM, or some other mechanism which uses the system shadow file as an authentication database, may accept a NULL password for the `root` user.
Patch / fix
- system-user-root SLE Module for Basesystem 15 SP1, SLE Module for Basesystem 15 20190513-3.3.1
- suse-sles12sp3-image SLE Module for Containers 12 2.0.2-22.1
suse advisories SUSE-SU-2019:1368-2SUSE-SU-2019:1368-1
- system-user-root openSUSE Leap 15.1, openSUSE Leap 15.0 20190513-lp151.3.3.1
opensuse advisories openSUSE-SU-2019:1495-1
Exploit prediction
6.26% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 93% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).
Exploits and checks
- talosintelligence.com https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2019-0782 referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified
CVSS scores
| assigned by | version | score | vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | 3.0 | 9.8 | CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| NVD | 3.1 | 9.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| NVD | 2.0 | 10.0 | AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C |
Affected products
- n/a Alpine Linux
Classification
- Weakness
-
- CWE-258 Empty Password in Configuration File
References
-
talosintelligence.com
/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2019-0782
exploit, mitigation, patch, third-party-advisory
-
lists.opensuse.org
/opensuse-security-announce/2019-06/msg00004.html
vendor-advisory, mailing-list, third-party-advisory
-
alpinelinux.org
/posts/Docker-image-vulnerability-CVE-2019-5021.html
vendor-advisory
-
securityfocus.com
/bid/108288
vdb-entry, broken-link
-
security.netapp.com
/advisory/ntap-20190510-0001/
third-party-advisory
-
support.f5.com
/csp/article/K25551452
third-party-advisory
Sources
- CVE List CVE-2019-5021
- NVD CVE-2019-5021
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