Docker DesktopApplication · Docker
CVE-2023-0633
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 Desktop on Windows before 4.12.0 an argument injection to installer may result in local privilege escalation (LPE).This issue affects Docker Desktop: before 4.12.0.
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 · moderate confidenceDocker Desktop for Windows before version 4.12.0 contains an argument injection vulnerability in its installer that allows a local attacker to inject arbitrary arguments during the installation process, potentially leading to local privilege escalation. This is a local-only attack requiring the attacker to have some level of access to trigger the vulnerable installer behavior.
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
< 4.12.0CVSS 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
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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 Docker Desktop version on WindowsOpen Docker Desktop and go to the About Docker Desktop section, or run 'docker --version' and 'docker compose version' in command prompt to see version informationAffected if The displayed version number is less than 4.12.0 (for example, 4.11.0, 4.10.0, etc.)
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Confirm the product is Docker Desktop for WindowsVerify the installed product is Docker Desktop specifically, not another Docker product. Check the application name in the Start menu or installed programs listAffected if The installed product is Docker Desktop for Windows and version is below 4.12.0
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Check for recent installer usageReview installation logs or installation history on the system to determine if a vulnerable installer was recently runAffected if A Docker Desktop installer with version below 4.12.0 was used to install or repair the application
A system is affected if Docker Desktop for Windows is installed with a version lower than 4.12.0, as that version range contains the vulnerable installer argument injection flaw.
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 · scoped4.12.0
Upgrade Docker Desktop for Windows to version 4.12.0 or later to address this vulnerability. Organizations should audit all Windows systems running Docker Desktop to identify and patch affected installations.
Docker Desktop 4.12.0 or later for Windows
- Back up any critical Docker data (containers, volumes, images) if needed before upgrading
- Download Docker Desktop version 4.12.0 or later from the official Docker website (docker.com/products/docker-desktop)
- Run the Docker Desktop installer for Windows
- Follow the on-screen installation prompts to complete the upgrade
- After installation, verify the Docker Desktop version by checking Help > About in the Docker Desktop menu
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Docker Desktop
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation1.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing1.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $1,424.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-0633 — 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-2023-0633 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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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.
- 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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