CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2025-9074NVD status: Deferred

Docker Desktop: Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2025-9074 is a critical-severity exposure of resource to wrong sphere vulnerability in Docker Desktop from Docker, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 9.3 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an unauthenticated attacker, but only if a user takes part, for example by opening a link or file. The record lists version 4.44.3 as the first without the flaw, so updating Docker Desktop to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.94% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 80% of scored CVEs.

Patch this week

Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.

What to do

  1. Update Docker Desktop to 4.44.3 or a later version.
  2. Because the attack needs a user to take part, warn users about unexpected links and files related to this product until it is patched.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
DockerDocker Desktop4.25 up to, but not including, 4.44.34.44.3

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Attack requirements
NoneThe attack does not depend on a particular deployment or configuration.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
PassiveA user only needs to do something routine, such as viewing a page.
Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
HighSerious loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
Integrity (vulnerable system)
HighSerious loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
Availability (vulnerable system)
HighSerious loss of availability on the vulnerable system.
Confidentiality (other systems)
HighSerious loss of confidentiality on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Integrity (other systems)
HighSerious loss of integrity on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Availability (other systems)
HighSerious loss of availability on systems beyond the vulnerable one.

Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/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:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X. Scored by CNA (docker.com).

Official description

A vulnerability was identified in Docker Desktop that allows local running Linux containers to access the Docker Engine API via the configured Docker subnet, at 192.168.65.7:2375 by default. This vulnerability occurs with or without Enhanced Container Isolation (ECI) enabled, and with or without the "Expose daemon on tcp://localhost:2375 without TLS" option enabled. This can lead to execution of a wide range of privileged commands to the engine API, including controlling other containers, creating new ones, managing images etc. In some circumstances (e.g. Docker Desktop for Windows with WSL backend) it also allows mounting the host drive with the same privileges as the user running Docker Desktop.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere

The product exposes a resource to the wrong control sphere, providing unintended actors with inappropriate access to the resource.

More Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere vulnerabilities (CWE-668)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in Docker Desktop

All Docker Desktop vulnerabilities

Recent Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere vulnerabilities

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