CVE-2025-9074 Docker Desktop allows unauthenticated access to Docker Engine API from containers
Local containers can access the Docker Engine API without authentication, allowing attackers to execute privileged commands and potentially mount host drives.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- A user has to click or open something
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2025-9074?
CVE-2025-9074 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in Docker Desktop, published on 20 Aug 2025. 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
A vulnerability was identified in Docker Desktop that allows local running Linux containers to access the Docker Engine API via the configured Docker subnet, at 192.168.65.7:2375 by default. This vulnerability occurs with or without Enhanced Container Isolation (ECI) enabled, and with or without the "Expose daemon on tcp://localhost:2375 without TLS" option enabled. This can lead to execution of a wide range of privileged commands to the engine API, including controlling other containers, creating new ones, managing images etc. In some circumstances (e.g. Docker Desktop for Windows with WSL backend) it also allows mounting the host drive with the same privileges as the user running Docker Desktop.
Weakness: CWE-668
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-9074?
How do I fix CVE-2025-9074?
No fix has been published for CVE-2025-9074 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Upgrade, and check permissions on every request on the server, not only in the interface. More about Missing authorization.
Is CVE-2025-9074 being exploited?
It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-9074 exists.
Public exploit code: 1 Exploit-DB entry and 18 proofs of concept on GitHub.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-4xcq-3fjf-xfqw.