How severe is CVE-2021-37841?

CVE-2021-37841 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-37841 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (50th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-37841?

CVE-2021-37841 affects Docker Desktop. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-37841?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2021-37841 published?

CVE-2021-37841 was published on 2021-08-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-37841

CVE-2021-37841 is a high-severity vulnerability in Docker Desktop with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-732.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 4.6
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (50th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-732
Affected product: Docker Desktop
Published: 2021-08-12
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Docker Desktop before 3.6.0 suffers from incorrect access control. If a low-privileged account is able to access the server running the Windows containers, it can lead to a full container compromise in both process isolation and Hyper-V isolation modes. This security issue leads an attacker with low privilege to read, write and possibly even execute code inside the containers.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-37841?: Docker Desktop before 3.6.0 suffers from incorrect access control. If a low-privileged account is able to access the server running the Windows containers, it can lead to a full container compromise in both process isolation and Hyper-V isolation modes. This security issue leads an attacker with low privilege to read, write and possibly even execute code inside the containers.
How severe is CVE-2021-37841?: CVE-2021-37841 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-37841 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (50th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-37841?: CVE-2021-37841 affects Docker Desktop. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-37841?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2021-37841 published?: CVE-2021-37841 was published on 2021-08-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://docs.docker.com/docker-for-windows/release-notes/

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:docker:desktop:*:*:*:*:windows:*:*:*

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