CVE-2021-3162Public exploit

Local privilege escalation via weak helper certificate requirement

Published Jan 15, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Improper certificate validation in Docker Desktop Community before 2.5.0.0 on macOS allows local users to install a malicious helper as root. The SMPrivilegedExecutables requirement omits the anchor apple generic constraint, so SMJobBless accepts a helper signed with an attacker-created certificate. Exploitation requires a user-writable /Applications/Docker.app bundle; replacing its helper and launching Docker installs a root service.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.17%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper certificate validation in Docker Desktop Community before 2.5.0.0 on macOS allows local users to install a malicious helper as root. The SMPrivilegedExecutables requirement omits the anchor apple generic constraint, so SMJobBless accepts a helper signed with an attacker-created certificate. Exploitation requires a user-writable /Applications/Docker.app bundle; replacing its helper and launching Docker installs a root service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-3162
Published
Jan 15, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-295, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 15, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-295Improper Certificate Validation
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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