Docker Desktop Enhanced Container Isolation bypass via --use-api-socket CLI flag (Docker Docker Desktop)
At a glance
- Source
- NVD
- EPSS
- EPSS 0.21 % · percentile 11 ()
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Published
- Updated
- Assigner
- Docker
- NVD status
- Analyzed
Description
The Docker CLI --use-api-socket flag bypasses Enhanced Container Isolation (ECI) restrictions in Docker Desktop. When ECI is enabled, Docker socket mounts from containers are denied unless explicitly allowed via the admin-settings configuration. However, the --use-api-socket flag adds the Docker socket mount via the HostConfig.Mounts field rather than the HostConfig.Binds field. The ECI enforcement in the Docker Desktop API proxy only inspected Binds, allowing the mount to pass unchecked. This grants a container full access to the Docker Engine socket and, if the host user has logged in to container registries, their authentication credentials. A local attacker with the ability to run Docker CLI commands can exploit this to escape ECI restrictions, access the Docker Engine, and potentially escalate privileges.
Weaknesses (CWE)
- CWE-863 — Incorrect Authorization
References
Scores
| Version | Score | Vector | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 4.0 | HIGH 8.8 | CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H | Docker |
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH 8.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H | Docker |
| CVSS 4.0 | HIGH 8.8 | CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/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 · security@docker.com (Secondary) |
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH 8.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H | NVD · security@docker.com (Secondary) |
European references
- ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2026-31484
- GCVE · GCVE-0-2026-6406
Affected configurations (NVD CPE)
cpe:2.3:a:docker:docker_desktop:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*≥ 4.41.0 < 4.59.0
Affected products
| Product | Versions |
|---|---|
| Docker · Docker Desktop | affected 4.41.0 < 4.59.0 |
Sources
| Source | Licence |
|---|---|
| CVE List (CVEProject cvelistV5) | CVE Program Terms of Use |
| EPSS (FIRST.org) | FIRST — attribution requested |
| ENISA EUVD | ENISA — reproduction authorised, source acknowledged |
| NVD (NIST) via fkie-cad/nvd-json-data-feeds | Public domain — this product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD |