Detections
Analytics

Docker Desktop for Windows < 4.49.0 Privilege Escalation (CVE-2025-9164)

high Nessus Plugin ID 271961

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Synopsis

The remote host has an application installed that is affected by a privilege escalation vulnerability.

Description

The version of Docker Desktop for Windows installed on the remote host is prior to 4.49.0. It is, therefore, affected by a privilege escalation vulnerability:

 - Docker Desktop Installer.exe is vulnerable to DLL hijacking due to insecure DLL search order. The installer searches for required DLLs in the user's Downloads folder before checking system directories, allowing local privilege escalation through malicious DLL placement.This issue affects Docker Desktop: through 4.48.0. (CVE-2025-9164)

Note that Nessus has not tested for this issue but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

Solution

Upgrade to Docker Desktop for Windows version 4.49.0 or later

See Also

http://www.nessus.org/u?42c74522

https://docs.docker.com/desktop/release-notes/#4490

Plugin Details

Severity: High

ID: 271961

File Name: docker_CVE-2025-9164.nasl

Version: 1.2

Type: local

Agent: windows

Family: Misc.

Published: 10/29/2025

Updated: 10/31/2025

Supported Sensors: Nessus Agent, Nessus

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: Critical

Score: 9.2

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: Medium

Base Score: 6

Vector: CVSS2#AV:L/AC:H/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C

CVSS Score Source: CVE-2025-9164

CVSS v3

Risk Factor: High

Base Score: 7.8

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS v4

Risk Factor: High

Base Score: 8.8

Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H

Vulnerability Information

CPE: cpe:/a:docker:docker

Patch Publication Date: 10/23/2025

Vulnerability Publication Date: 10/23/2025

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2025-9164

IAVA: 2025-A-0802