Critical Security Flaw in Docker Desktop: Understanding CVE-2025-9074
A serious security vulnerability known as CVE-2025-9074 has been found in Docker Desktop, posing substantial risks to users. This issue allows malicious containers to gain unauthorized access to the host system, impacting how Linux containers communicate with the Docker Engine. As a result, attackers could potentially manipulate the host’s file system and execute privileged commands.
Nature of the Vulnerability
Docker, a popular platform for deploying containerized applications, released an advisory regarding this critical flaw. The vulnerability enables locally running malicious containers to skip security measures and interact directly with the Docker Engine API via a set subnet (default address: 192.168.65.7:2375). Alarmingly, this access does not require the Docker socket to be mounted, amplifying the risk of exploitation.
Details of CVE-2025-9074
According to the official release notes, the CVE-2025-9074 vulnerability allows malicious containers to launch additional containers and exploit the Docker environment with elevated privileges. Such actions include controlling other containers, managing Docker images, and, in Windows systems utilizing the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), mounting the host drive with the privileges of the user running Docker Desktop. The flaw negates the effectiveness of existing protective measures like Enhanced Container Isolation (ECI).
Technical Impact of the Vulnerability
The vulnerability affects versions of Docker Desktop that run Linux containers locally, irrespective of the security settings in place. Even if the “Expose daemon on tcp://localhost:2375 without TLS” option is turned off, attackers can still exploit this flaw.
Notably, the vulnerability allows attackers to send privileged commands to the Docker Engine API by accessing the subnet interface. In environments like Docker Desktop for Windows using the WSL backend, this could lead to mounting host drives and accessing sensitive user files with the permissions of the user running Docker Desktop, significantly increasing the threat level.
Docker’s Response and Mitigation Measures
In light of the severity of this vulnerability, Docker swiftly released updates, beginning with version 4.44.3 on August 20, 2025. This update specifically addresses CVE-2025-9074 by patching the vulnerability to prevent unauthorized container access to the Docker Engine.
The patch provides the following clarification:
“Fixed CVE-2025-9074, where a malicious container running on Docker Desktop could access the Docker Engine and launch additional containers without requiring the Docker socket to be mounted. This could allow unauthorized access to user files on the host system. Enhanced Container Isolation (ECI) does not mitigate this vulnerability.”
Users are strongly encouraged to upgrade to the latest versions of Docker Desktop promptly. Versions older than six months from the latest release are no longer supported or available for download.
Recent Updates in Docker Desktop
This vulnerability arises against the backdrop of a series of ongoing updates and enhancements in Docker Desktop’s ecosystem. Earlier versions, such as 4.44.2 and 4.44.1, focused on bug fixes and feature improvements, including the integration of Docker Offload Beta and enhancements to startup stability, particularly for users of WSL 2.
Docker Desktop version 4.44.0, released in early August 2025, brought significant stability improvements for WSL 2 and introduced advanced features for running multiple models within Docker Model Runner. Additionally, it upgraded crucial components such as Docker Engine to version 28.3.2 and Docker Compose to version 2.39.1.
Remarkably, the Docker team had previously addressed another serious security issue, CVE-2025-23266, linked to the NVIDIA Container Toolkit, by updating the toolkit bundled with Docker Desktop to version 1.17.8.
Importance of Timely Updates and Security Vigilance
The latest Docker Desktop update resolves the critical CVE-2025-9074 vulnerability along with various bugs affecting permissions, Kubernetes, installer stability, and overall performance. Users, especially those operating Linux containers, should update to version 4.44.3 or a later version immediately, continually check their software versions, and keep an eye out for any suspicious activity.
This incident emphasizes the importance of timely patching and maintaining security vigilance. Strong isolation measures cannot substitute for consistent updates. Docker’s swift response underscores its commitment to security; however, users must adopt proactive measures to ensure the safety of their environments.
