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Docker DesktopApplication · Docker

CVE-2023-0629

HIGH · 7.1 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-03-13
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 4.17.0 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 4.17.0 allows an unprivileged user to bypass Enhanced Container Isolation (ECI) restrictions by setting the Docker host to docker.raw.sock, or npipe:////.pipe/docker_engine_linux on Windows, via the -H (--host) CLI flag or the DOCKER_HOST environment variable and launch containers without the additional hardening features provided by ECI. This would not affect already running containers, nor containers launched through the usual approach (without Docker's raw socket). The affected functionality is available for Docker Business customers only and assumes an environment where users are not granted local root or Administrator privileges. This issue has been fixed in Docker Desktop 4.17.0. Affected Docker Desktop versions: from 4.13.0 before 4.17.0.

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 4.17.0 contains a flaw where unprivileged users can bypass Enhanced Container Isolation (ECI) by setting the Docker host to docker.raw.sock (Linux) or npipe:////.pipe/docker_engine_linux (Windows) via the -H CLI flag or DOCKER_HOST environment variable, allowing containers to be launched without ECI hardening features.

MitigationUpgrade Docker Desktop to version 4.17.0 or later. Additionally, audit any containers launched using the raw socket method to ensure they were not used to circumvent ECI controls.

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
Docker DesktopApplication
Affected:>= 4.13.0, < 4.17.0

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
High
Integrity
High
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

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. Check Docker Desktop version
    Run 'docker --version' or open Docker Desktop and navigate to About Docker Desktop to view the version number
    Affected if Version is 4.13.0, 4.14.x, 4.15.x, or 4.16.x (any version >= 4.13.0 and < 4.17.0)
  2. Verify Enhanced Container Isolation is enabled
    Open Docker Desktop settings, go to Settings > General, and check if 'Enable Enhanced Container Isolation' is toggled on
    Affected if ECI is enabled in Docker Desktop settings
  3. Check DOCKER_HOST environment variable
    Open a terminal and run 'echo $DOCKER_HOST' (Linux/macOS) or 'echo %DOCKER_HOST%' (Windows) to see if the environment variable is set
    Affected if DOCKER_HOST is set to 'docker.raw.sock' (Linux) or 'npipe:////.pipe/docker_engine_linux' (Windows)
  4. Inspect command history for -H flag usage
    Search shell history or review scripts/docker-compose files for commands using 'docker -H docker.raw.sock' or 'docker -H npipe:////.pipe/docker_engine_linux'
    Affected if The -H CLI flag is used with the raw socket paths to connect directly to the Docker daemon
  5. Audit scheduled tasks and startup configurations
    Review any scheduled tasks, systemd services, or startup scripts that may invoke Docker with the raw socket path bypass
    Affected if Any automated processes are configured to use the raw socket method instead of the default ECI-hardened connection

You are affected if Docker Desktop version is between 4.13.0 and 4.16.x inclusive, Enhanced Container Isolation is enabled, AND the raw socket path (docker.raw.sock or npipe:////.pipe/docker_engine_linux) is used via DOCKER_HOST or -H flag to bypass ECI hardening.

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 4.17.0 or later
Fixed in 4.17.0
Interim mitigation

Upgrade Docker Desktop to version 4.17.0 or later. Additionally, audit any containers launched using the raw socket method to ensure they were not used to circumvent ECI controls.

Recommended fix High confidence

Docker Desktop 4.17.0

  1. Check the current Docker Desktop version by clicking the Docker icon in the system tray and selecting 'About Docker Desktop'
  2. Navigate to the Docker Desktop downloads page at docs.docker.com/desktop/release-notes
  3. Download Docker Desktop version 4.17.0 or later
  4. Run the installer and follow the on-screen prompts to upgrade
  5. Restart Docker Desktop after the upgrade completes
  6. Verify the version by checking 'About Docker Desktop' to confirm version 4.17.0 or higher is installed
Caveat Upgrade requires Administrator privileges; ensure you have appropriate permissions before initiating the upgrade

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

Fix this in Docker Desktop Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation1.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
6.0 hours of engineering $1,060
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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-2023-0629 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