Docker Desktop Docker Plugins Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- Passive
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-427.
Summary
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/[email protected]+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.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Docker | Docker CLI | — | 29.2.0 | Patch available | CNA |
| Docker | Compose | — | 5.1.0 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | github.com/docker/cli (Go) | 19.03.0 to before 29.2.0 | 29.2.0 | Patch available | GHSA-p436-gjf2-799p |
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Docker CLI (Docker) Fixed in 29.2.0
- Fix · CNA Compose (Docker) Fixed in 5.1.0
- Fix · GHSA-p436-gjf2-799p github.com/docker/cli (Go) Fixed in 29.2.0 Advisory →
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 27 products
- Assisted Installer for Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 2
- Builds for Red Hat OpenShift
- Gatekeeper 3
- Kernel Module Management Operator for Red Hat Openshift
- Machine Deletion Remediation Operator
- Multicluster Engine for Kubernetes
- Multicluster Global Hub
- OpenShift Pipelines
- OpenShift Serverless
- OpenShift Service Mesh 2
- OpenShift Service Mesh 3
- Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management for Kubernetes 2
- Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security 4
- Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI)
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
- Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces
- Red Hat OpenShift GitOps
- Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization 4
- Red Hat OpenShift for Windows Containers
- Red Hat OpenStack Platform 16.2
- Red Hat OpenStack Platform 17.1
- Red Hat OpenStack Platform 18.0
- Red Hat Quay 3
- Red Hat Trusted Artifact Signer
- Security Profiles Operator
- Zero Trust Workload Identity Manager
- Zero Trust Workload Identity Manager - Tech Preview
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-15558
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-p436-gjf2-799p
References
Advisory 2
Other 7
- https://docs.docker.com/desktop/release-notes/
- https://github.com/docker/cli/security/advisories/GHSA-p436-gjf2-799p
- https://github.com/docker/compose/pull/12300
- https://github.com/docker/cli/commit/13759330b1f7e7cb0d67047ea42c5482548ba7fa
- https://docs.docker.com/desktop/release-notes
- https://github.com/docker/cli
- https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-CAN-28304
More Docker Command Line Interface vulnerabilities
- TI-2021-17934 Docker CLI leaks private registry credentials to registry-1.docker.io CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
Sources
- CVE-2025-15558 · CVE Program
- CVE-2025-15558 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-p436-gjf2-799p · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2025-15558 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences