# CVE-2022-26659: Path traversal in n/a

> An attacker can overwrite administrator-writable files via symlink attacks during Docker Desktop installation, leading to privilege escalation or code execution.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 25 Mar 2022
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-grp6-p35v-pgfx

## What is CVE-2022-26659?

CVE-2022-26659 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 25 Mar 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Docker Desktop installer on Windows in versions before 4.6.0 allows an attacker to overwrite any administrator writable files by creating a symlink in place of where the installer writes its log file. Starting from version 4.6.0, the Docker Desktop installer, when run elevated, will write its log files to a location not writable by non-administrator users.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-26659?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Docker Docker Desktop.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-26659?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-26659 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-26659 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-26659 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2026-5817](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-5817/): Docker Model Runner container-to-host code execution via unsandboxed trust_remote_code in Python inference backends (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-5843](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-5843/): Docker Model Runner container-to-host code execution via MLX-LM model_file importlib loading (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-6406](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-6406/): Docker Desktop Enhanced Container Isolation bypass via --use-api-socket CLI flag (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-44719](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-44719/): Missing authorization in n/a (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2023-0625](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0625/): Docker Desktop before 4.12.0 is vulnerable to RCE via a crafted extension description or changelog (high 8.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-26659 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-26659 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 25 Mar 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-26659 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2022-26659/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-26659/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-26659
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-26659
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-26659

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-26659/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.