CVE-2022-37326Public exploit

Local privilege escalation via unchecked pidfile path

Published Apr 27, 2023 · Updated Jan 31, 2025

Incorrect authorization in Docker Desktop for Windows before 4.6.0 allows local users to create or delete arbitrary host files. The windowscontainers/start API accepts an attacker-controlled pidfile path inside DaemonJSON and passes it to privileged dockerd, which creates the file and deletes it when the service stops. Access to the local Docker backend in Windows Containers mode is required; junction redirection can convert the deletion primitive into SYSTEM privilege escalation.

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

What happened

Incorrect authorization in Docker Desktop for Windows before 4.6.0 allows local users to create or delete arbitrary host files. The windowscontainers/start API accepts an attacker-controlled pidfile path inside DaemonJSON and passes it to privileged dockerd, which creates the file and deletes it when the service stops. Access to the local Docker backend in Windows Containers mode is required; junction redirection can convert the deletion primitive into SYSTEM privilege escalation.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-37326
Published
Apr 27, 2023
Updated
Jan 31, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-863, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 27, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 31, 2025Record 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

7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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-863Incorrect Authorization
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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