Docker Desktop Docker Plugins Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (Docker Docker CLI)
At a glance
- Source
- NVD
- EPSS
- EPSS 0.55 % · percentile 46 ()
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Published
- Updated
- Assigner
- Docker
- NVD status
- Modified
Description
Docker CLI for Windows searches for plugin binaries in C:\ProgramData\Docker\cli-plugins, a directory that does not exist by default. A low-privileged attacker can create this directory and place malicious CLI plugin binaries (docker-compose.exe, docker-buildx.exe, etc.) that are executed when a victim user opens Docker Desktop or invokes Docker CLI plugin features, and allow privilege-escalation if the docker CLI is executed as a privileged user. This issue affects Docker CLI: through 29.1.5 and Windows binaries acting as a CLI-plugin manager using the github.com/docker/cli/cli-plugins/manager https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/docker/cli@v29.1.5+incompatible/cli-plugins/manager package, such as Docker Compose. This issue does not impact non-Windows binaries, and projects not using the plugin-manager code.
Weaknesses (CWE)
- CWE-427 — Uncontrolled Search Path Element
References
- https://docs.docker.com/desktop/release-notes/
- https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-CAN-28304/
- https://github.com/docker/cli/pull/6713
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-15558
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2444574
- https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2025/cve-2025-15558.json
Scores
| Version | Score | Vector | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 4.0 | HIGH 7.0 | CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/AU:N/R:U | Docker |
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH 7.3 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H | redhat-SADP |
| CVSS 4.0 | HIGH 7.0 | CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:N/R:U/V:X/RE:X/U:X | NVD · security@docker.com (Secondary) |
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH 8.0 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H | NVD · nvd@nist.gov (Primary) |
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH 7.3 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H | NVD · 0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c (Secondary) |
Advisories
- GHSA-p436-gjf2-799p — Docker CLI Plugins: Uncontrolled Search Path Element Leads to Local Privilege Escalation on Windows
- GO-2026-4610 — Docker CLI Plugins: Uncontrolled Search Path Element Leads to Local Privilege Escalation on Windows in github.com/docker/cli
European references
- ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2025-208275
- GCVE · GCVE-0-2025-15558
CERT-FR advisories
- CERTFR-2026-AVI-1385 — Multiples vulnérabilités dans les produits VMware · cert.ssi.gouv.fr
Affected configurations (NVD CPE)
cpe:2.3:a:docker:command_line_interface:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*≤ 29.1.5
Affected products
| Product | Versions |
|---|---|
| Docker · Docker CLI | unaffected 29.2.0 |
| Docker · Compose | unaffected 5.1.0 |
Sources
| Source | Licence |
|---|---|
| CVE List (CVEProject cvelistV5) | CVE Program Terms of Use |
| EPSS (FIRST.org) | FIRST — attribution requested |
| ENISA EUVD | ENISA — reproduction authorised, source acknowledged |
| CERT-FR (ANSSI) | Licence Ouverte / Etalab 2.0 |
| NVD (NIST) via fkie-cad/nvd-json-data-feeds | Public domain — this product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD |