NotaryApplication · Docker
CVE-2015-9259
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedIn Docker Notary before 0.1, the checkRoot function in gotuf/client/client.go does not check expiry of root.json files, despite a comment stating that it does. Even if a user creates a new root.json file after a key compromise, an attacker can produce update files referring to an old root.json file.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceIn Docker Notary before version 0.1, the checkRoot function in gotuf/client/client.go fails to validate the expiration timestamp of root.json files despite documentation claiming it does. This allows attackers to produce malicious update files referencing an expired root.json file, enabling rollback attacks even after users create new root.json files following a key compromise.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
NotaryApplication
< 0.1CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify if Docker Notary is installedRun 'notary version' or check for notary binary in PATH using 'which notary'Affected if Docker Notary is not installed or not found in the environment
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Determine the installed Notary versionRun 'notary version' and note the version number displayedAffected if Version is less than 0.1 (e.g., 0.0.x or any version before 0.1)
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Check for root.json usage in Notary operationsInspect Notary repository configurations for root.json files, typically found in ~/.docker/trust or repository .notary directoryAffected if root.json files exist and are used by Notary for trust operations (this is the default behavior for Docker Content Trust)
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Verify the checkRoot function behaviorReview notary client logs or trace execution when notary client operations occur (e.g., when pulling or pushing images with Docker Content Trust enabled)Affected if The checkRoot function processes root.json without validating its expiration timestamp (vulnerability is in the code logic itself for versions < 0.1)
The environment is affected if Docker Notary version is less than 0.1 and root.json files are used for Docker Content Trust operations.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped0.1
Upgrade to Docker Notary 0.1 or later where root.json expiry is properly validated; immediately rotate all signing keys upon any suspicion of compromise.
Docker Notary version 0.1 or later
- 1. Identify all Docker Notary installations running versions prior to 0.1
- 2. Backup all existing Notary data and configuration files, including root.json and any cached TUF metadata
- 3. Upgrade Docker Notary to version 0.1 or later
- 4. After upgrade, rotate root keys to generate new root.json with proper expiry dates
- 5. Verify that the checkRoot function now properly validates root.json expiry before accepting updates
- 6. Test that old root.json files are rejected after key rotation
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Notary
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation6.0 h
- Testing12.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $6,720.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2015-9259 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2015-9259 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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