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.

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History

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 16:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
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.
Title Docker Desktop Docker Plugins Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Weaknesses CWE-427
References
Metrics cvssV4_0

{'score': 7, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/AU:N/R:U'}


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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Docker

Published:

Updated: 2026-03-04T17:50:02.622Z

Reserved: 2026-02-03T19:51:18.184Z

Link: CVE-2025-15558

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-03-04T17:16:14.763

Modified: 2026-03-04T17:16:14.763

Link: CVE-2025-15558

cve-icon Redhat

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cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

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Weaknesses