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CVE-2025-3224· NVD / CVE Program· CNA Docker

Elevation of Privilege in Docker Desktop for Windows during Upgrade due to Insecure Directory Deletion

A vulnerability in the update process of Docker Desktop for Windows versions prior to 4.41.0 could allow a local, low-privileged attacker to escalate privileges to SYSTEM. During an update, Docker Desktop attempts to delete files and subdirectories under the path C:\ProgramData\Docker\config with high privileges. However, this directory often does not exist by default, and C:\ProgramData\ allows normal users to create new directories. By creating a malicious Docker\config folder structure at this location, an attacker can force the privileged update process to delete or manipulate arbitrary system files, leading to Elevation of Privilege.

HighCVSS 7.3 · v4.0—No exploit Fix available
Published
Apr 28, 2025
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
0.2% · 15th percentile
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Report tools

JSON

Action score

29

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
29 / 40 · 7.3 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.2%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
proof of concept
Automatable
no
Technical impact
total

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
—
CNA · Docker
7.3
NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.

CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:L/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Affected systems

VendorProduct
dockerdesktop

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • docker desktopbefore 4.41.0

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Docker). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Docker Docker Desktop

    • before 4.41.0affected · semver

Same product

docker: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2024-8695A remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability via crafted extension description/changelog could be abused by a malicious extension in Docker Desktop before 4.34.2
    36Monitor
  • CVE-2024-8696A remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability via crafted extension publisher-url/additional-urls could be abused by a malicious extension in Docker Desktop befor
    35Monitor
  • CVE-2022-37326Docker Desktop for Windows before 4.6.0 allows attackers to delete (or create) any file through the dockerBackendV2 windowscontainers/start
    31Monitor
  • CVE-2021-37841Docker Desktop before 3.6.0 suffers from incorrect access control.
    31Monitor
  • CVE-2023-1802In Docker Desktop 4.17.x the Artifactory Integration falls back to sending registry credentials over plain HTTP if the HTTPS health check has failed
    30Monitor
  • CVE-2024-6222In Docker Desktop before v4.29.0 an attacker who has gained access to the Docker Desktop VM through a container breakout can further escape to the host by passi
    29Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Docker Docker Desktop4.41.0Vendor (CNA)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

EPSS, last 120 days

FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

The product’s vendor appears in a public program. Matched by name; verify the scope text in the program.

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • Special conditions such as timing or configuration are required.

If successful

Confidentiality
Integrity
Availability
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
High
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
A
Scope
X

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-59 · Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')

CVSS vector

CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:L/UI:A/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

nvd-secondary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

Noroxi analysis

No Noroxi analysis for this record yet

We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.

We use this product, ask for help

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

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References

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records