CVE-2025-62725
Description
Docker Compose is vulnerable to a path traversal flaw in how it handles OCI artifact layer annotations. When processing remote OCI compose artifacts, Compose trusts attacker-controlled annotation fields such as com.docker.compose.extends and com.docker.compose.envfile. This allows a crafted artifact to escape the cache directory and overwrite arbitrary files on the host system, potentially leading to compromise of system integrity.
Statement
This vulnerability is considered Important rather than Moderate because it enables an attacker to perform arbitrary file overwrite on the host system through a simple path traversal attack vector, even when the user executes seemingly safe, read-only Docker Compose commands such as docker compose ps or docker compose config. The issue arises from improper validation of attacker-controlled OCI annotation values, allowing malicious paths to break out of the intended cache directory. While user interaction is required, the potential impact on system confidentiality, integrity, and availability is significant—modified configuration files, environment files, or scripts could lead to privilege escalation or further code execution.
Mitigation
No mitigation is currently available that meets Red Hat Product Security’s standards for usability, deployment, applicability, or stability.
The risk can be reduced by avoiding the use of untrusted or third-party OCI compose artifacts and only sourcing artifacts from verified and trusted registries. Users should also restrict network access to prevent accidental retrieval of malicious remote artifacts and run Docker Compose commands only within controlled and isolated environments.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 8 | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Vector | Network | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | N/A |
| Privileges Required | Low | N/A | N/A |
| User Interaction | Required | N/A | N/A |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | N/A |
| Confidentiality | High | N/A | N/A |
| Integrity Impact | High | N/A | N/A |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | N/A |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Integrity,Confidentiality,Availability
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
The attacker may be able to create or overwrite critical files that are used to execute code, such as programs or libraries.
Integrity
Technical Impact: Modify Files or Directories
The attacker may be able to overwrite or create critical files, such as programs, libraries, or important data. If the targeted file is used for a security mechanism, then the attacker may be able to bypass that mechanism. For example, appending a new account at the end of a password file may allow an attacker to bypass authentication.
Confidentiality
Technical Impact: Read Files or Directories
The attacker may be able read the contents of unexpected files and expose sensitive data. If the targeted file is used for a security mechanism, then the attacker may be able to bypass that mechanism. For example, by reading a password file, the attacker could conduct brute force password guessing attacks in order to break into an account on the system.
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
The attacker may be able to overwrite, delete, or corrupt unexpected critical files such as programs, libraries, or important data. This may prevent the product from working at all and in the case of protection mechanisms such as authentication, it has the potential to lock out product users.
Frequently Asked Questions
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