Docker Desktop up to 4.56.0 on Windows DockerDesktop permission assignment

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Docker Desktop up to 4.56.0 on Windows. The affected element is an unknown function of the file C:\ProgramData\DockerDesktop. The manipulation results in permission assignment. This vulnerability is reported as CVE-2025-14740. The attack requires a local approach. No exploit exists.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Docker Desktop up to 4.56.0 on Windows. Affected is some unknown functionality of the file C:\ProgramData\DockerDesktop. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a permission assignment vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-732. The product specifies permissions for a security-critical resource in a way that allows that resource to be read or modified by unintended actors. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

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.

The weakness was disclosed by Nitesh Surana. The advisory is available at docs.docker.com. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2025-14740 since 12/15/2025. The exploitability is told to be difficult. Local access is required to approach this attack. Successful exploitation requires user interaction by the victim. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit. The structure of the vulnerability defines a possible price range of USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 02/04/2026).

There is no information about possible countermeasures known. It may be suggested to replace the affected object with an alternative product.

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Productinfo

Type

• Virtualization Software

Vendor

• Docker

Name

• Desktop

Version

• 4.0
• 4.1
• 4.2
• 4.3
• 4.4
• 4.5
• 4.6
• 4.7
• 4.8
• 4.9
• 4.10
• 4.11
• 4.12
• 4.13
• 4.14
• 4.15
• 4.16
• 4.17
• 4.18
• 4.19
• 4.20
• 4.21
• 4.22
• 4.23
• 4.24
• 4.25
• 4.26
• 4.27
• 4.28
• 4.29
• 4.30
• 4.31
• 4.32
• 4.33
• 4.34
• 4.35
• 4.36
• 4.37
• 4.38
• 4.39
• 4.40
• 4.41
• 4.42
• 4.43
• 4.44
• 4.45
• 4.46
• 4.47
• 4.48
• 4.49
• 4.50
• 4.51
• 4.52
• 4.53
• 4.54
• 4.55
• 4.56.0

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