CVE-2025-3224

SYSTEM privilege escalation via redirected updater deletion

Published Apr 28, 2025 · Updated Apr 28, 2025

Privilege escalation in Docker Desktop for Windows before 4.41.0 allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges during an update. The privileged updater deletes C:\ProgramData\Docker\config without securely resolving attacker-controlled links beneath the user-writable C:\ProgramData directory. A low-privileged local user must create the malicious folder and link structure before the update runs; redirected deletion or manipulation of system files yields SYSTEM access.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability0.24%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in Docker Desktop for Windows before 4.41.0 allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges during an update. The privileged updater deletes C:\ProgramData\Docker\config without securely resolving attacker-controlled links beneath the user-writable C:\ProgramData directory. A low-privileged local user must create the malicious folder and link structure before the update runs; redirected deletion or manipulation of system files yields SYSTEM access.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-3224
Published
Apr 28, 2025
Updated
Apr 28, 2025
Vendor
Docker
Product
Docker Desktop
Classifications
CWE-269, CWE-59, CAPEC-165, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 28, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 28, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <4.41.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Docker · Docker Desktopversion=0 <4.41.0

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.3DockerCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:L/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA: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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
CAPEC-165File Manipulation
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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