# CVE-2022-37326: Path traversal in n/a

> Attackers can delete or create arbitrary files via the Windows container start API, potentially leading to privilege escalation.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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:** 27 Apr 2023
- **Updated:** 31 Jan 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4x95-p9f4-3p7r

## What is CVE-2022-37326?

CVE-2022-37326 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 27 Apr 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Docker Desktop for Windows before 4.6.0 allows attackers to delete (or create) any file through the dockerBackendV2 windowscontainers/start API by controlling the pidfile field inside the DaemonJSON field in the WindowsContainerStartRequest class. This can indirectly lead to privilege escalation.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-37326?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Docker Desktop.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-37326?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-37326 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-37326 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-37326 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2024-8695](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-8695/): Code injection in Docker Desktop (critical 9.0)
- [CVE-2024-8696](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-8696/): Code injection in Docker Desktop (high 8.9)
- [CVE-2021-37841](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-37841/): Missing authorization in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2025-3224](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-3224/): Elevation of Privilege in Docker Desktop for Windows during Upgrade due to Insecure Directory Deletion (high 7.3)
- [CVE-2024-6222](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-6222/): Privilege escalation in Docker Desktop (high 7.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-37326 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-37326 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 27 Apr 2023. 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-2022-37326 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-2022-37326/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-37326/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-37326
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-37326
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-37326

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-37326/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.