CVE-2025-15558: Docker Desktop Docker Plugins Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2025-15558 is a high (CVSS 8.0) Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability in docker command_line_interface. EPSS estimates a 0.55% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 46% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 04-03-2026
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 15-07-2026
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

Docker CLI for Windows searches for plugin binaries in C:\ProgramData\Docker\cli-plugins, a directory that does not exist by default. A low-privileged attacker can create this directory and place malicious CLI plugin binaries (docker-compose.exe, docker-buildx.exe, etc.) that are executed when a victim user opens Docker Desktop or invokes Docker CLI plugin features, and allow privilege-escalation if the docker CLI is executed as a privileged user. This issue affects Docker CLI: through 29.1.5 and Windows binaries acting as a CLI-plugin manager using the github.com/docker/cli/cli-plugins/manager https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/docker/cli@v29.1.5+incompatible/cli-plugins/manager  package, such as Docker Compose. This issue does not impact non-Windows binaries, and projects not using the plugin-manager code.

• CWE-427Uncontrolled Search Path ElementThe product uses a fixed or controlled search path to find resources, but one or more locations in that path can be under the control of unintended actors.