Critical RCE Vulnerability in Docker AI Assistant Exposes Systems to Data Theft

Critical Flaw in Docker AI Assistant Enables Remote Code Execution, Data Theft

Security researchers have identified a critical vulnerability in DockerDash, the AI-powered assistant integrated with Docker environments, that could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code remotely and steal sensitive data. The flaw stems from a contextual trust issue in the MCP Gateway architecture, where instructions are passed without proper validation.

Technical Details

The vulnerability resides in DockerDash’s MCP (Multi-Context Processing) Gateway, a component responsible for handling AI-driven commands within Docker workflows. Due to insufficient input validation, malicious actors can inject crafted instructions that bypass security controls, leading to:

• Remote Code Execution (RCE) – Unauthorized execution of commands on affected systems.
• Data Exfiltration – Theft of sensitive information, including container configurations, credentials, and proprietary data.

At the time of reporting, no CVE ID has been assigned to this vulnerability. However, Docker and security teams are actively investigating the issue.

Impact Analysis

The flaw poses a high-risk threat to organizations leveraging DockerDash for automated container management and AI-assisted development. Exploitation could result in:

• Compromise of containerized environments – Attackers gaining control over Docker hosts and orchestration platforms.
• Supply chain attacks – Malicious code injection into CI/CD pipelines or container images.
• Privilege escalation – Unauthorized access to elevated permissions within affected systems.

Given Docker’s widespread adoption in enterprise and cloud-native environments, the vulnerability could have far-reaching consequences for DevOps and security teams.

Recommendations for Security Teams

While a patch is pending, organizations using DockerDash should:

1. Disable the AI assistant until an official fix is released.
2. Monitor network traffic for suspicious activity, particularly outbound connections from Docker hosts.
3. Review container logs for unauthorized command executions or unusual behavior.
4. Implement least-privilege access to limit potential damage from exploitation.
5. Follow Docker’s security advisories for updates on mitigation and remediation.

SecurityWeek will provide further updates as more details emerge. For now, teams are advised to treat this as a critical-risk vulnerability requiring immediate attention.

Original report by Ionut Arghire for SecurityWeek.