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CVE-2019-15752

From Exploited flaws, HARD’s guide to the flaws being used in attacks · Checked
This article is about a flaw in Docker Desktop Community Edition. For every flaw being used in attacks, see Exploited flaws.

CVE-2019-15752 is a security flaw in Docker Desktop Community Edition. Someone who already has a foothold can use Docker Desktop Community Edition to take full control of the machine. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 3 Nov 2021.[1]

Docker Desktop Community Edition is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff.

Description

CISA calls it a privilege escalation in Docker Desktop Community Edition. In its words: “Docker Desktop Community Edition contains a vulnerability that may allow local users to escalate privileges by placing a trojan horse docker-credential-wincred.exe file in %PROGRAMDATA%\DockerDesktop\version-bin\.”[1]

The CVE record adds: “Docker Desktop Community Edition before 2.1.0.1 allows local users to gain privileges by placing a Trojan horse docker-credential-wincred.exe file in %PROGRAMDATA%\DockerDesktop\version-bin\ as a low-privilege user, and then waiting for an admin or service user to authenticate with Docker, restart Docker, or run 'docker login' to force the command.”[2]

The underlying weakness is incorrect permissions (CWE-732), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.

It scores 7.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it high, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]

Affected versions

NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it. CISA names the product as Docker Desktop Community Edition.

Most families won’t have Docker Desktop Community Edition; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.

Exploitation

CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 3 Nov 2021, 798 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 3 May 2022 to fix it.[1]

FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 49%. That’s in the top 2% of the flaws it scores.[3]

CISA assesses it as not automatable: each attack takes some work.

CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.

Fix

CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]

  1. Check whether you use it.Docker Desktop Community Edition is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
  2. Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed, or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 3 May 2022 to fix it.
  3. If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.

You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.

Timeline

DateEvent
The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 7.8.[2]
CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1]
CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1]
FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 49%.[3]

See also

Other incorrect permissions flaws

  • CVE-2018-13374, Fortinet FortiOS and FortiADC: improper access control ·

Added the same day

  • CVE-2021-42258, BQE BillQuick Web Suite: SQL injection ·
  • CVE-2021-42013, Apache HTTP Server: path traversal ·
  • CVE-2021-41773, Apache HTTP Server: path traversal ·
  • CVE-2021-40539, Zoho ManageEngine: aDSelfService plus authentication bypass ·
  • CVE-2021-40444, Microsoft MSHTML: remote code execution ·

References

  1. ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Docker Desktop Community Edition Privilege Escalation Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 3 Nov 2021.
  2. ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2019-15752 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 28 Aug 2019.
  3. ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.488, percentile 98.9, 31 Oct 2026.
  4. CVE Program. “CVE-2019-15752”. The official CVE record.

This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.