GHSA-P436-GJF2-799P

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-03-05 00:10 – Updated: 2026-03-31 14:21
VLAI
Summary
Docker CLI Plugins: Uncontrolled Search Path Element Leads to Local Privilege Escalation on Windows
Details

This issue affects Docker CLI through 29.1.5

Impact

Docker CLI for Windows searches for plugin binaries in C:\ProgramData\Docker\cli-plugins, a directory that does not exist by default. A low-privileged attacker can create this directory and place malicious CLI plugin binaries (docker-compose.exe, docker-buildx.exe, etc.) that are executed when a victim user opens Docker Desktop or invokes Docker CLI plugin features, and allow privilege-escalation if the docker CLI is executed as a privileged user.

This issue affects Docker CLI through v29.1.5 (fixed in v29.2.0). It impacts Windows binaries acting as a CLI plugin manager via the github.com/docker/cli/cli-plugins/manager package, which is consumed by downstream projects such as Docker Compose.

Docker Compose became affected starting in v2.31.0, when it incorporated the relevant CLI plugin manager code (see https://github.com/docker/compose/pull/12300), and is fixed in v5.1.0.

This issue does not impact non-Windows binaries or projects that do not use the plugin manager code.

Patches

Fixed version starts with 29.2.0

This issue was fixed in https://github.com/docker/cli/commit/13759330b1f7e7cb0d67047ea42c5482548ba7fa (https://github.com/docker/cli/pull/6713), which removed %PROGRAMDATA%\Docker\cli-plugins from the list of paths used for plugin-discovery on Windows.

Workarounds

None

Resources

  • Pull request: "cli-plugins/manager: remove legacy system-wide cli-plugin path" (https://github.com/docker/cli/pull/6713)
  • Patch: https://github.com/docker/cli/commit/13759330b1f7e7cb0d67047ea42c5482548ba7fa.patch

Credits

Nitesh Surana (niteshsurana.com) of Trend Research of TrendAI

Severity
7.0 (High)
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Show details on source website
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{
  "affected": [
    {
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "Go",
        "name": "github.com/docker/cli"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "19.03.0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "29.2.0"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2025-15558"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-427"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2026-03-05T00:10:40Z",
    "nvd_published_at": "2026-03-04T17:16:14Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "This issue affects Docker CLI through 29.1.5\n\n### Impact\n\nDocker CLI for Windows searches for plugin binaries in `C:\\ProgramData\\Docker\\cli-plugins`, a directory that does not exist by default. A low-privileged attacker can create this directory and place malicious CLI plugin binaries (docker-compose.exe, docker-buildx.exe, etc.) that are executed when a victim user opens Docker Desktop or invokes Docker CLI plugin features, and allow privilege-escalation if the `docker` CLI is executed as a privileged user.\n\nThis issue affects Docker CLI through v29.1.5 (fixed in v29.2.0). It impacts Windows binaries acting as a CLI plugin manager via the [`github.com/docker/cli/cli-plugins/manager`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/docker/cli@v29.1.5+incompatible/cli-plugins/manager) package, which is consumed by downstream projects such as Docker Compose.\n\nDocker Compose became affected starting in v2.31.0, when it incorporated the relevant CLI plugin manager code (see https://github.com/docker/compose/pull/12300), and is fixed in v5.1.0.\n\nThis issue does not impact non-Windows binaries or projects that do not use the plugin manager code.\n\n### Patches\n\nFixed version starts with 29.2.0\n\nThis issue was fixed in https://github.com/docker/cli/commit/13759330b1f7e7cb0d67047ea42c5482548ba7fa (https://github.com/docker/cli/pull/6713), which removed `%PROGRAMDATA%\\Docker\\cli-plugins` from the list of paths used for plugin-discovery on Windows.\n\n### Workarounds\n\nNone\n\n### Resources\n\n- Pull request: \"cli-plugins/manager: remove legacy system-wide cli-plugin path\" (https://github.com/docker/cli/pull/6713)\n- Patch: https://github.com/docker/cli/commit/13759330b1f7e7cb0d67047ea42c5482548ba7fa.patch\n\n### Credits\n\nNitesh Surana (niteshsurana.com) of Trend Research of TrendAI",
  "id": "GHSA-p436-gjf2-799p",
  "modified": "2026-03-31T14:21:14Z",
  "published": "2026-03-05T00:10:40Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/docker/cli/security/advisories/GHSA-p436-gjf2-799p"
    },
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-15558"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/docker/cli/pull/6713"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/docker/compose/pull/12300"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/docker/cli/commit/13759330b1f7e7cb0d67047ea42c5482548ba7fa"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://docs.docker.com/desktop/release-notes"
    },
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://github.com/docker/cli"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-CAN-28304"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N",
      "type": "CVSS_V4"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "Docker CLI Plugins: Uncontrolled Search Path Element Leads to Local Privilege Escalation on Windows"
}


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Sightings

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Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.


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