Skills Engineering Analyzing Kernel Container Escape Paths

Analyzing Kernel Container Escape Paths

v20260903
competition-kernel-container-escape
A specialized deep-dive skill for analyzing container-to-host escape vulnerabilities. This tool is used after a sandbox orchestrator establishes initial assumptions, focusing on mapping isolation boundaries (namespaces, cgroups, seccomp, capabilities). It helps prove boundary crossings, identify minimal exploit primitives, and determine if an exploit can break out of the container context to the host kernel.
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Overview

Competition Kernel Container Escape

Use this skill only as a downstream specialization after $ctf-sandbox-orchestrator is already active and has established sandbox assumptions, node ownership, and evidence priorities. If that has not happened yet, return to $ctf-sandbox-orchestrator first.

Use this skill when the decisive step is proving a boundary crossing between containerized context and host or higher-privilege kernel context.

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Quick Start

  1. Map runtime isolation first: namespaces, cgroups, seccomp, capabilities, LSM, and mount boundaries.
  2. Separate exploit prerequisite, primitive, and boundary-crossing proof.
  3. Record kernel version, config hints, runtime options, and reachable syscall surface.
  4. Keep instrumented observations separate from pristine challenge path.
  5. Reproduce one minimal primitive-to-boundary-crossing chain.

Workflow

1. Map Isolation And Kernel Surface

  • Record namespace map, cgroup mode, capabilities, seccomp profile, AppArmor or SELinux state, mounted filesystems, and runtime sockets.
  • Note kernel version, distro build hints, module exposure, and container runtime behavior.
  • Keep host and container observations linked to exact node and context.

2. Prove Exploit Primitive And Crossover

  • Show controllable input, trigger condition, affected object, and observable kernel or runtime state change.
  • Capture before and after identity, namespace, mount, or process visibility to prove boundary crossing.
  • Distinguish crash-only behavior from stable capability gain.

3. Reduce To Decisive Escape Chain

  • Compress to: prerequisite state -> primitive trigger -> boundary crossing evidence -> resulting host-level capability.
  • State whether root cause is kernel vulnerability, runtime misconfiguration, capability overgrant, or namespace leak.
  • If path relies mostly on credential replay after initial foothold, hand off to Linux credential pivot skill.

Read This Reference

  • Load references/kernel-container-escape.md for isolation checklist, primitive checklist, and parity guidance.

What To Preserve

  • Kernel and runtime context, capability set, seccomp or LSM state, and namespace map
  • Primitive trigger data, boundary crossing evidence, and resulting capability
  • One minimal reproducible chain from container context to host-relevant effect
Info
Category Engineering
Name competition-kernel-container-escape
Version v20260903
Size 2.61KB
Updated At 2026-09-05
Language