TL;DR
A path traversal vulnerability in Docker Compose's OCI artifact handling (CVE-2025-62725, NIST severity 8.9) could let attackers cause Compose to write files anywhere the process can access. Separately, Docker Desktop's Windows installer was patched for a DLL search-order hijack (EUVD-2025-36191, ENISA 8.8). Users are advised to install the fixes immediately.
What happened
A researcher at Imperva, Ron Masas, discovered a high-severity path traversal issue in Docker Compose's implementation of OCI-based Compose artifacts. When processing OCI layers, Compose relied on layer annotations to determine where to write files; it concatenated those annotations with its local cache directory without normalizing or canonicalizing the resulting path. An attacker who gets a user to reference a malicious remote artifact could craft annotations that traverse out of the cache and force Compose to write arbitrary files to locations on the host where the Compose process has write permissions. NIST assigned the flaw CVE-2025-62725 with an 8.9 severity score. Imperva recommended upgrading Compose to v2.40.2, and Docker issued a fix. In a separate advisory, ENISA flagged a DLL hijacking problem in Docker Desktop's installer that was closed in Desktop 4.49.0.
Why it matters
- A compromised Compose artifact can bypass container boundaries to modify host files if the Compose process has write access.
- Many development and CI/CD workflows rely on Compose; a wide range of environments could be exposed given Compose’s broad use.
- The Desktop installer weakness could allow privilege escalation on Windows systems via malicious DLLs placed in user-writable locations.
- Timely updates are necessary because both issues received high severity ratings from public authorities (NIST and ENISA).
Key facts
- CVE-2025-62725: path traversal in Docker Compose OCI artifact processing; NIST severity 8.9.
- Issue found by Imperva researcher Ron Masas in early October.
- Flaw stems from trusting OCI layer annotations and joining them to Compose's cache without path normalization.
- A crafted annotation can traverse out of the cache and cause writes anywhere the Compose process can write.
- Imperva recommended updating Compose to v2.40.2; Docker released a corresponding fix.
- ENISA flagged a DLL hijack in Docker Desktop's installer as EUVD-2025-36191 with an 8.8 rating.
- Docker Desktop patched the installer issue in version 4.49.0.
- Docker's release notes state future Desktop releases will require Windows 10 22H2 or Windows 11 23H2.
- This follows another recent high-severity/critical Docker issue patched in August.
What to watch next
- Upgrade Docker Compose to v2.40.2 and Docker Desktop to 4.49.0 if you have not already.
- Audit CI/CD runners, developer machines and cloud workspaces that consume remote Compose artifacts for unexpected file writes.
- Monitor vendor advisories for any follow-up fixes, detection rules or indicators of compromise — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- OCI (Open Container Initiative): A set of standards for container formats and runtimes used to package and distribute container images and related artifacts.
- Path traversal: A class of vulnerability where crafted file paths allow attackers to access or write files outside an intended directory.
- DLL hijacking (DLL search-order hijack): An attack that abuses the order a Windows program searches for DLLs to load a malicious library from a location the attacker controls.
- Compose artifact: A packaged set of files or metadata used by Docker Compose to reconstruct application definitions and file structures.
Reader FAQ
Which Compose version fixes the path traversal issue?
Imperva recommended v2.40.2; Docker issued a fix tied to that release.
Which Docker Desktop release fixes the installer DLL hijack?
Docker Desktop 4.49.0 contains the fix for the installer DLL search-order vulnerability.
Have these vulnerabilities been seen exploited in the wild?
not confirmed in the source
How does the Compose attack work in simple terms?
Compose trusted layer annotations from OCI artifacts and concatenated them to its cache path without normalization, allowing a malicious annotation to escape the cache and trigger writes to arbitrary host locations accessible by the process.
PATCHES 3 Docker Compose vulnerability opens door to host-level writes – patch pronto Windows Desktop installer also fixed after DLL hijack flaw rated 8.8 severity Joe Fay Thu 30 Oct 2025 // 16:27 UTC…
Sources
- Docker Compose vulnerability opens door to host-level writes – patch pronto
- CVE-2025-62725: From “docker compose ps” to System …
- Docker Compose vulnerability opens door to host-level writes
- Docker Compose Vulnerability Allow Attacks To Overwrite …
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