CVE-2025-9164 Multiple DLL Search Order Hijacking Vulnerabilities in Docker Desktop Installer for Windows
Local attackers can escalate privileges by placing malicious DLLs in the Downloads folder, exploiting insecure search order in the Docker Desktop installer.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2025-9164?
CVE-2025-9164 is a high-severity vulnerability in Docker Desktop, published on 27 Oct 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
Docker Desktop Installer.exe is vulnerable to DLL hijacking due to insecure DLL search order. The installer searches for required DLLs in the user's Downloads folder before checking system directories, allowing local privilege escalation through malicious DLL placement.This issue affects Docker Desktop: through 4.48.0.
Weakness: CWE-427
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-9164?
How do I fix CVE-2025-9164?
No fix has been published for CVE-2025-9164 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Is CVE-2025-9164 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-9164 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-5p9c-72f9-f98q.