dbcve.org
DesktopApplication · Docker

CVE-2022-31647

HIGH · 7.1 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-04-27
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 4.6.0 or later.
See remediation →
73/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Zero-click

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 · unedited
Docker Desktop before 4.6.0 on Windows allows attackers to delete any file through the hyperv/destroy dockerBackendV2 API via a symlink in the DataFolder parameter, a different vulnerability than CVE-2022-26659.

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 confidence

Docker Desktop before 4.6.0 on Windows contains a path traversal vulnerability in the hyperv/destroy dockerBackendV2 API. By placing a symlink in the DataFolder parameter, attackers can manipulate the API to delete arbitrary files on the host system, bypassing intended access controls.

MitigationUpdate Docker Desktop to version 4.6.0 or later on all Windows hosts to remediate this vulnerability. This is a straightforward software update with no additional configuration changes required.

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
DesktopApplication
Affected:< 4.6.0

CVSS 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
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Confirm Windows host operating system
    Run 'systeminfo' or check OS via 'winver' command. This vulnerability only affects Docker Desktop on Windows, not Linux or macOS.
    Affected if Running any operating system other than Windows means this specific CVE does not apply.
  2. Check installed Docker Desktop version
    Run 'docker --version' or open Docker Desktop and check the version displayed in the About section. Compare the version number to 4.6.0.
    Affected if Docker Desktop version is lower than 4.6.0 (for example, 4.5.0, 4.4.0, etc.). Versions 4.6.0 and later are not affected.
  3. Verify hyperv backend is enabled
    Run 'docker info' and look for the 'Operating System' or 'Kernel' section, or check Docker Desktop Settings > General > 'Use the WSL 2 based engine' vs Hyper-V backend. The vulnerable API endpoint is hyperv/destroy dockerBackendV2.
    Affected if Docker is configured to use the Hyper-V backend (hyperv) rather than WSL2 or the default backend. The path traversal flaw exists in the hyperv-specific API.

A Windows host running Docker Desktop versions below 4.6.0 with the Hyper-V backend enabled is affected by this path traversal vulnerability in the hyperv/destroy API.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 4.6.0 or later
Fixed in 4.6.0
Interim mitigation

Update Docker Desktop to version 4.6.0 or later on all Windows hosts to remediate this vulnerability. This is a straightforward software update with no additional configuration changes required.

Recommended fix High confidence

Docker Desktop 4.6.0 or later for Windows

  1. Ensure Docker Desktop is not running by right-clicking the Docker icon in the system tray and selecting 'Quit Docker Desktop'
  2. Download Docker Desktop version 4.6.0 or later from the official Docker website (docker.com/products/docker-desktop)
  3. Run the installer downloaded in the previous step
  4. Follow the on-screen installation prompts, accepting the license agreement when prompted
  5. Once installation completes, Docker Desktop should start automatically; verify the version by going to Docker Desktop > About Docker Desktop
  6. Confirm the vulnerability is remediated by verifying the installed version is 4.6.0 or higher
Caveat Review Docker Desktop 4.6.0 release notes for any required configuration changes or deprecated features before upgrading

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Desktop Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation1.0 h
  • Implementation1.0 h
  • Testing1.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
4.0 hours of engineering $750
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2022-31647 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • 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
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data