Medium severity · published Feb 4, 2026
CVE-2025-14740
Docker Desktop for Windows Incorrect Permission Assignment Privilege Escalation Vulnerabilities
6.7
CVSS
0.2%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
Docker Desktop for Windows contains multiple incorrect permission assignment vulnerabilities in the installer's handling of the C:\ProgramData\DockerDesktop directory. The installer creates this directory without proper ownership verification, creating two exploitation scenarios:
Scenario 1 (Persistent Attack):
If a low-privileged attacker pre-creates C:\ProgramData\DockerDesktop before Docker Desktop installation, the attacker retains ownership of the directory even after the installer applies restrictive ACLs. At any time after installation completes, the attacker can modify the directory ACL (as the owner) and tamper with critical configuration files such as install-settings.json to specify a malicious credentialHelper, causing arbitrary code execution when any user runs Docker Desktop.
Scenario 2 (TOCTOU Attack):
During installation, there is a time-of-check-time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition between when the installer creates C:\ProgramData\DockerDesktop and when it sets secure ACLs. A low-privileged attacker actively monitoring for the installation can inject malicious files (such as install-settings.json) with attacker-controlled ACLs during this window, achieving the same code execution outcome.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
High
Privileges
Low
User interaction
Required
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.2% · higher than 13% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
DD
Docker Desktop · Docker Inc.
through 4.56.0 · source: vendor
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-14740
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-14740
docs.docker.com
https://docs.docker.com/security/
www.zerodayinitiative.com
https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-CAN-28190/
www.zerodayinitiative.com
https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-CAN-28542/
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