CVE-2025-14740
Docker Desktop for Windows Incorrect Permission Assignment Privilege Escalation Vulnerabilities
- Published
- Updated
- Reserved
- Assigned by
- Docker
Description
Docker Desktop for Windows contains multiple incorrect permission assignment vulnerabilities in the installer's handling of the C:\ProgramData\DockerDesktop directory. The installer creates this directory without proper ownership verification, creating two exploitation scenarios: Scenario 1 (Persistent Attack): If a low-privileged attacker pre-creates C:\ProgramData\DockerDesktop before Docker Desktop installation, the attacker retains ownership of the directory even after the installer applies restrictive ACLs. At any time after installation completes, the attacker can modify the directory ACL (as the owner) and tamper with critical configuration files such as install-settings.json to specify a malicious credentialHelper, causing arbitrary code execution when any user runs Docker Desktop. Scenario 2 (TOCTOU Attack): During installation, there is a time-of-check-time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition between when the installer creates C:\ProgramData\DockerDesktop and when it sets secure ACLs. A low-privileged attacker actively monitoring for the installation can inject malicious files (such as install-settings.json) with attacker-controlled ACLs during this window, achieving the same code execution outcome.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| DockerCNA (assigner) | 3.1 | Medium6.7 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| NVDNVD · Deferred | 3.1 | Medium6.7 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 0.22% · top 87% of all CVEs (5 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: none · Automatable: no · Technical impact: total
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Medium 6.7.
Weakness
Affected products
- affected ≤ 4.56.0
What to do
Solution: Docker has implemented the following mitigations: - Atomic creation of C:\ProgramData\DockerDesktop with admin ownership and correct ACLs - Verification that directory is owned by known admin SIDs (SYSTEM or Administrators) - Installation aborts if directory is not owned by trusted elevated SID - TOCTOU protection through atomic operations setting ownership and ACLs simultaneously Update to Docker Desktop version 4.56 or later.
References (3)
- https://docs.docker.com/security/ (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisory
- https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-CAN-28542/ (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisory
- https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-CAN-28190/ (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisory
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://trackcve.app/cve/CVE-2025-14740)Record last updated .