diff --git a/cmd/ctr/commands/commands.go b/cmd/ctr/commands/commands.go
index bfac57986..521e03739 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/commands/commands.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/commands/commands.go
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/defaults"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/pkg/atomicfile"
+
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
 
@@ -272,15 +274,14 @@ func WritePidFile(path string, pid int) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	tempPath := filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(path), fmt.Sprintf(".%s", filepath.Base(path)))
-	f, err := os.OpenFile(tempPath, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE|os.O_EXCL|os.O_SYNC, 0666)
+	f, err := atomicfile.New(path, 0o666)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	_, err = fmt.Fprintf(f, "%d", pid)
-	f.Close()
 	if err != nil {
+		f.Cancel()
 		return err
 	}
-	return os.Rename(tempPath, path)
+	return f.Close()
 }
diff --git a/pkg/atomicfile/file.go b/pkg/atomicfile/file.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7b870f7a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/atomicfile/file.go
@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+/*
+   Copyright The containerd Authors.
+
+   Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+   you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+   You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+       http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+   Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+   distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+   WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+   See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+   limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+/*
+Package atomicfile provides a mechanism (on Unix-like platforms) to present a consistent view of a file to separate
+processes even while the file is being written.  This is accomplished by writing a temporary file, syncing to disk, and
+renaming over the destination file name.
+
+Partial/inconsistent reads can occur due to:
+ 1. A process attempting to read the file while it is being written to (both in the case of a new file with a
+    short/incomplete write or in the case of an existing, updated file where new bytes may be written at the beginning
+    but old bytes may still be present after).
+ 2. Concurrent goroutines leading to multiple active writers of the same file.
+
+The above mechanism explicitly protects against (1) as all writes are to a file with a temporary name.
+
+There is no explicit protection against multiple, concurrent goroutines attempting to write the same file. However,
+atomically writing the file should mean only one writer will "win" and a consistent file will be visible.
+
+Note: atomicfile is partially implemented for Windows. The Windows codepath performs the same operations, however
+Windows does not guarantee that a rename operation is atomic; a crash in the middle may leave the destination file
+truncated rather than with the expected content.
+*/
+package atomicfile
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"sync"
+)
+
+// File is an io.ReadWriteCloser that can also be Canceled if a change needs to be abandoned.
+type File interface {
+	io.ReadWriteCloser
+	// Cancel abandons a change to a file. This can be called if a write fails or another error occurs.
+	Cancel() error
+}
+
+// ErrClosed is returned if Read or Write are called on a closed File.
+var ErrClosed = errors.New("file is closed")
+
+// New returns a new atomic file.  On Unix-like platforms, the writer (an io.ReadWriteCloser) is backed by a temporary
+// file placed into the same directory as the destination file (using filepath.Dir to split the directory from the
+// name).  On a call to Close the temporary file is synced to disk and renamed to its final name, hiding any previous
+// file by the same name.
+//
+// Note: Take care to call Close and handle any errors that are returned.  Errors returned from Close may indicate that
+// the file was not written with its final name.
+func New(name string, mode os.FileMode) (File, error) {
+	return newFile(name, mode)
+}
+
+type atomicFile struct {
+	name     string
+	f        *os.File
+	closed   bool
+	closedMu sync.RWMutex
+}
+
+func newFile(name string, mode os.FileMode) (File, error) {
+	dir := filepath.Dir(name)
+	f, err := os.CreateTemp(dir, "")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create temp file: %w", err)
+	}
+	if err := f.Chmod(mode); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to change temp file permissions: %w", err)
+	}
+	return &atomicFile{name: name, f: f}, nil
+}
+
+func (a *atomicFile) Close() (err error) {
+	a.closedMu.Lock()
+	defer a.closedMu.Unlock()
+
+	if a.closed {
+		return nil
+	}
+	a.closed = true
+
+	defer func() {
+		if err != nil {
+			_ = os.Remove(a.f.Name()) // ignore errors
+		}
+	}()
+	// The order of operations here is:
+	// 1. sync
+	// 2. close
+	// 3. rename
+	// While the ordering of 2 and 3 is not important on Unix-like operating systems, Windows cannot rename an open
+	// file. By closing first, we allow the rename operation to succeed.
+	if err = a.f.Sync(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to sync temp file %q: %w", a.f.Name(), err)
+	}
+	if err = a.f.Close(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to close temp file %q: %w", a.f.Name(), err)
+	}
+	if err = os.Rename(a.f.Name(), a.name); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to rename %q to %q: %w", a.f.Name(), a.name, err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (a *atomicFile) Cancel() error {
+	a.closedMu.Lock()
+	defer a.closedMu.Unlock()
+
+	if a.closed {
+		return nil
+	}
+	a.closed = true
+	_ = a.f.Close() // ignore error
+	return os.Remove(a.f.Name())
+}
+
+func (a *atomicFile) Read(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
+	a.closedMu.RLock()
+	defer a.closedMu.RUnlock()
+	if a.closed {
+		return 0, ErrClosed
+	}
+	return a.f.Read(p)
+}
+
+func (a *atomicFile) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
+	a.closedMu.RLock()
+	defer a.closedMu.RUnlock()
+	if a.closed {
+		return 0, ErrClosed
+	}
+	return a.f.Write(p)
+}
diff --git a/pkg/atomicfile/file_test.go b/pkg/atomicfile/file_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4c86d335c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/atomicfile/file_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+/*
+   Copyright The containerd Authors.
+
+   Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+   you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+   You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+       http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+   Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+   distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+   WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+   See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+   limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package atomicfile
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestFile(t *testing.T) {
+	const content = "this is some test content for a file"
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, "test-file")
+
+	f, err := New(path, 0o644)
+	require.NoError(t, err, "failed to create file")
+	n, err := fmt.Fprint(f, content)
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "failed to write content")
+	assert.Equal(t, len(content), n, "written bytes should be equal")
+	err = f.Close()
+	require.NoError(t, err, "failed to close file")
+
+	actual, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "failed to read file")
+	assert.Equal(t, content, string(actual))
+}
+
+func TestConcurrentWrites(t *testing.T) {
+	const content1 = "this is the first content of the file. there should be none other."
+	const content2 = "the second content of the file should win!"
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, "test-file")
+
+	file1, err := New(path, 0o600)
+	require.NoError(t, err, "failed to create file1")
+	file2, err := New(path, 0o644)
+	require.NoError(t, err, "failed to create file2")
+
+	n, err := fmt.Fprint(file1, content1)
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "failed to write content1")
+	assert.Equal(t, len(content1), n, "written bytes should be equal")
+
+	n, err = fmt.Fprint(file2, content2)
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "failed to write content2")
+	assert.Equal(t, len(content2), n, "written bytes should be equal")
+
+	err = file1.Close()
+	require.NoError(t, err, "failed to close file1")
+	actual, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "failed to read file")
+	assert.Equal(t, content1, string(actual))
+
+	err = file2.Close()
+	require.NoError(t, err, "failed to close file2")
+	actual, err = os.ReadFile(path)
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "failed to read file")
+	assert.Equal(t, content2, string(actual))
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cri/sbserver/update_runtime_config.go b/pkg/cri/sbserver/update_runtime_config.go
index 8740739e5..fcab382d9 100644
--- a/pkg/cri/sbserver/update_runtime_config.go
+++ b/pkg/cri/sbserver/update_runtime_config.go
@@ -26,8 +26,10 @@ import (
 	"text/template"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/containerd/containerd/log"
 	runtime "k8s.io/cri-api/pkg/apis/runtime/v1"
+
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/log"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/pkg/atomicfile"
 )
 
 // cniConfigTemplate contains the values containerd will overwrite
@@ -88,27 +90,8 @@ func (c *criService) UpdateRuntimeConfig(ctx context.Context, r *runtime.UpdateR
 		log.G(ctx).Infof("CNI config is successfully loaded, skip generating cni config from template %q", confTemplate)
 		return &runtime.UpdateRuntimeConfigResponse{}, nil
 	}
-	log.G(ctx).Infof("Generating cni config from template %q", confTemplate)
-	// generate cni config file from the template with updated pod cidr.
-	t, err := template.ParseFiles(confTemplate)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse cni config template %q: %w", confTemplate, err)
-	}
-	if err := os.MkdirAll(c.config.NetworkPluginConfDir, 0755); err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create cni config directory: %q: %w", c.config.NetworkPluginConfDir, err)
-	}
-	confFile := filepath.Join(c.config.NetworkPluginConfDir, cniConfigFileName)
-	f, err := os.OpenFile(confFile, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE, 0644)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to open cni config file %q: %w", confFile, err)
-	}
-	defer f.Close()
-	if err := t.Execute(f, cniConfigTemplate{
-		PodCIDR:       cidrs[0],
-		PodCIDRRanges: cidrs,
-		Routes:        routes,
-	}); err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to generate cni config file %q: %w", confFile, err)
+	if err := writeCNIConfigFile(ctx, c.config.NetworkPluginConfDir, confTemplate, cidrs[0], cidrs, routes); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 	return &runtime.UpdateRuntimeConfigResponse{}, nil
 }
@@ -138,3 +121,28 @@ func getRoutes(cidrs []string) ([]string, error) {
 	}
 	return routes, nil
 }
+
+func writeCNIConfigFile(ctx context.Context, confDir string, confTemplate string, podCIDR string, podCIDRRanges []string, routes []string) error {
+	log.G(ctx).Infof("Generating cni config from template %q", confTemplate)
+	// generate cni config file from the template with updated pod cidr.
+	t, err := template.ParseFiles(confTemplate)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to parse cni config template %q: %w", confTemplate, err)
+	}
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(confDir, 0755); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create cni config directory: %q: %w", confDir, err)
+	}
+	confFile := filepath.Join(confDir, cniConfigFileName)
+	f, err := atomicfile.New(confFile, 0o644)
+	defer func() {
+		err = f.Close()
+	}()
+	if err := t.Execute(f, cniConfigTemplate{
+		PodCIDR:       podCIDR,
+		PodCIDRRanges: podCIDRRanges,
+		Routes:        routes,
+	}); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to generate cni config file %q: %w", confFile, err)
+	}
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cri/server/update_runtime_config.go b/pkg/cri/server/update_runtime_config.go
index 52246746c..770e5980d 100644
--- a/pkg/cri/server/update_runtime_config.go
+++ b/pkg/cri/server/update_runtime_config.go
@@ -26,8 +26,10 @@ import (
 	"text/template"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/containerd/containerd/log"
 	runtime "k8s.io/cri-api/pkg/apis/runtime/v1"
+
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/log"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/pkg/atomicfile"
 )
 
 // cniConfigTemplate contains the values containerd will overwrite
@@ -89,27 +91,8 @@ func (c *criService) UpdateRuntimeConfig(ctx context.Context, r *runtime.UpdateR
 		log.G(ctx).Infof("CNI config is successfully loaded, skip generating cni config from template %q", confTemplate)
 		return &runtime.UpdateRuntimeConfigResponse{}, nil
 	}
-	log.G(ctx).Infof("Generating cni config from template %q", confTemplate)
-	// generate cni config file from the template with updated pod cidr.
-	t, err := template.ParseFiles(confTemplate)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse cni config template %q: %w", confTemplate, err)
-	}
-	if err := os.MkdirAll(c.config.NetworkPluginConfDir, 0755); err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create cni config directory: %q: %w", c.config.NetworkPluginConfDir, err)
-	}
-	confFile := filepath.Join(c.config.NetworkPluginConfDir, cniConfigFileName)
-	f, err := os.OpenFile(confFile, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE, 0644)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to open cni config file %q: %w", confFile, err)
-	}
-	defer f.Close()
-	if err := t.Execute(f, cniConfigTemplate{
-		PodCIDR:       cidrs[0],
-		PodCIDRRanges: cidrs,
-		Routes:        routes,
-	}); err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to generate cni config file %q: %w", confFile, err)
+	if err := writeCNIConfigFile(ctx, c.config.NetworkPluginConfDir, confTemplate, cidrs[0], cidrs, routes); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 	return &runtime.UpdateRuntimeConfigResponse{}, nil
 }
@@ -139,3 +122,28 @@ func getRoutes(cidrs []string) ([]string, error) {
 	}
 	return routes, nil
 }
+
+func writeCNIConfigFile(ctx context.Context, confDir string, confTemplate string, podCIDR string, podCIDRRanges []string, routes []string) error {
+	log.G(ctx).Infof("Generating cni config from template %q", confTemplate)
+	// generate cni config file from the template with updated pod cidr.
+	t, err := template.ParseFiles(confTemplate)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to parse cni config template %q: %w", confTemplate, err)
+	}
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(confDir, 0755); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create cni config directory: %q: %w", confDir, err)
+	}
+	confFile := filepath.Join(confDir, cniConfigFileName)
+	f, err := atomicfile.New(confFile, 0o644)
+	defer func() {
+		err = f.Close()
+	}()
+	if err := t.Execute(f, cniConfigTemplate{
+		PodCIDR:       podCIDR,
+		PodCIDRRanges: podCIDRRanges,
+		Routes:        routes,
+	}); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to generate cni config file %q: %w", confFile, err)
+	}
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/runtime/v2/shim/util.go b/runtime/v2/shim/util.go
index cb2b97f86..fce1318a6 100644
--- a/runtime/v2/shim/util.go
+++ b/runtime/v2/shim/util.go
@@ -28,13 +28,15 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/containerd/containerd/errdefs"
-	"github.com/containerd/containerd/namespaces"
-	"github.com/containerd/containerd/protobuf/proto"
-	"github.com/containerd/containerd/protobuf/types"
 	"github.com/containerd/ttrpc"
 	"github.com/containerd/typeurl/v2"
 	exec "golang.org/x/sys/execabs"
+
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/errdefs"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/namespaces"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/pkg/atomicfile"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/protobuf/proto"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/protobuf/types"
 )
 
 type CommandConfig struct {
@@ -124,17 +126,16 @@ func WritePidFile(path string, pid int) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	tempPath := filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(path), fmt.Sprintf(".%s", filepath.Base(path)))
-	f, err := os.OpenFile(tempPath, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE|os.O_EXCL|os.O_SYNC, 0666)
+	f, err := atomicfile.New(path, 0o666)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	_, err = fmt.Fprintf(f, "%d", pid)
-	f.Close()
 	if err != nil {
+		f.Cancel()
 		return err
 	}
-	return os.Rename(tempPath, path)
+	return f.Close()
 }
 
 // WriteAddress writes a address file atomically
@@ -143,17 +144,16 @@ func WriteAddress(path, address string) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	tempPath := filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(path), fmt.Sprintf(".%s", filepath.Base(path)))
-	f, err := os.OpenFile(tempPath, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE|os.O_EXCL|os.O_SYNC, 0666)
+	f, err := atomicfile.New(path, 0o666)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	_, err = f.WriteString(address)
-	f.Close()
+	_, err = f.Write([]byte(address))
 	if err != nil {
+		f.Cancel()
 		return err
 	}
-	return os.Rename(tempPath, path)
+	return f.Close()
 }
 
 // ErrNoAddress is returned when the address file has no content