# CVE-2019-15752: Docker Desktop Community Edition Privilege Escalation

> Local attackers can escalate privileges by placing a malicious executable in a shared directory, which is executed with higher privileges during Docker authentication or restart.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Nov 2021 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 28 Aug 2019
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-pg68-prcj-h956

## What is CVE-2019-15752?

CVE-2019-15752 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 28 Aug 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Docker Desktop Community Edition before 2.1.0.1 allows local users to gain privileges by placing a Trojan horse docker-credential-wincred.exe file in %PROGRAMDATA%\DockerDesktop\version-bin\ as a low-privilege user, and then waiting for an admin or service user to authenticate with Docker, restart Docker, or run 'docker login' to force the command.

Weakness: CWE-732 (Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-15752?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Apache Geode, Docker Docker.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-15752?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-15752 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 3 May 2022.

## Is CVE-2019-15752 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-15752 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

Public exploit code:

- Docker-Credential-Wincred.exe Privilege Escalation (metasploit)
- Docker-Credential-Wincred.exe - Privilege Escalation (Metasploit) (exploitdb)
- Docker-Credential-Wincred.exe - Privilege Escalation (Metasploit) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2020-1938](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1938/): Apache Tomcat Improper Privilege Management (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-37021](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-37021/): Apache Geode deserialization of untrusted data flaw when using JMX over RMI on Java 8. (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2014-0048](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0048/): Supply chain in docker.io (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-15692](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-15692/): Apache Geode unsafe deserialization in TcpServer (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-47410](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-47410/): Apache Geode: CSRF attacks through GET requests to the Management and Monitoring REST API that can execute gfsh commands on the target system (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-15752 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-15752 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 28 Aug 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-15752 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-15752/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-15752/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-15752
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-15752
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-15752

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-15752/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.