Docker Sandboxes UDS forwarder can reach arbitrary host Unix sockets through a symlink race
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- Present
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
The guest-to-host Unix-domain socket relay in Docker Sandboxes validates that a socket path is inside an authorized workspace, but later reconnects using the pathname. A malicious guest can replace an intermediate directory with a symlink between validation and connection, causing the host to connect to an arbitrary AF_UNIX socket outside the shared workspace. This can expose data or host-side capabilities provided by the targeted socket.
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
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Docker Sandboxes (Docker) Fixed in 0.42.0
Fixed in the same release
Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.
- Release ·
Docker Sandboxes 0.42.0
2 records Highest priority Priority MEDIUM 1 MEDIUM, 1 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2026-53903 Docker Sandboxes guest can write arbitrary macOS host files via a symlink in the virtio-fs stored-path fallbackPriority MEDIUM 42
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-79994
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-wq46-97v9-q386
References
More Docker vulnerabilities
- TI-2019-11833 Docker Desktop Community Edition before 2.1.0.1 allows local users to gain privileges by… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
- TI-2019-04061 runc through 1.0-rc6, as used in Docker before 18.09.2 and other products, allows… CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.6
- TI-2025-08316 Docker Desktop allows unauthenticated access to Docker Engine API from containers CVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.3
- TI-2025-02823 Elevation of Privilege in Docker Desktop for Windows during Upgrade due to Insecure Directory Deletion CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.3
- TI-2026-14229 Tar extraction in moby/go-archive can write outside the destination directory via link following CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.1
- TI-2023-21271 Docker Machine through 0.16.2 allows an attacker, who has control of a worker node, to… CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
Sources
- CVE-2026-79994 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-79994 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-wq46-97v9-q386 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences