CVE-2025-14740: Software Security Vulnerability Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-wqrh-gcr7-7hj3
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CVSS 6.7
CWE-732
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2025-14740 is a MODERATE (CVSS 6.7) security vulnerability vulnerability (CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource) affecting Software libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The weakness occurs when the product specifies permissions for a security-critical resource in a way that allows that resource to be read or modified by unintended actors.. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2025-14740 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2025-14740
GHSA Identifier GHSA-wqrh-gcr7-7hj3
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 6.7
CWE Classification CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
Affected Product Software
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 6.7

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Local (AV:L)
Attack Complexity High (AC:H)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction Required (UI:R)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2025-14740

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Software dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2025-14740, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Software in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource, where the product specifies permissions for a security-critical resource in a way that allows that resource to be read or modified by unintended actors. In Software, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

Docker Desktop for Windows contains multiple incorrect permission assignment vulnerabilities in the installer's handling of the C:\ProgramData\DockerDesktop directory. The installer creates this directory without proper ownership verification, creating two exploitation scenarios: Scenario 1 (Persistent Attack): If a low-privileged attacker pre-creates C:\ProgramData\DockerDesktop before Docker Desktop installation, the attacker retains ownership of the directory even after the installer applies restrictive ACLs. At any time after installation completes, the attacker can modify the directory ACL (as the owner) and tamper with critical configuration files such as install-settings.json to specify a malicious credentialHelper, causing arbitrary code execution when any user runs Docker Desktop. Scenario 2 (TOCTOU Attack): During installation, there is a time-of-check-time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition between when the installer creates C:\ProgramData\DockerDesktop and when it sets secure ACLs. A low-privileged attacker actively monitoring for the installation can inject malicious files (such as install-settings.json) with attacker-controlled ACLs during this window, achieving the same code execution outcome.

References

NVD — CVE-2025-14740 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-14740
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://docs.docker.com/security
www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/zdi-can-... WEB
https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-CAN-28190
www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/zdi-can-... WEB
https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-CAN-28542

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-14740?
CVE-2025-14740 is a security vulnerability in Software classified as a security vulnerability vulnerability under CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource.
Which Software versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches.
What version fixes CVE-2025-14740?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2025-14740?
CVE-2025-14740 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.7 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2025-14740?
CVE-2025-14740 is classified under CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource (The product specifies permissions for a security-critical resource in a way that allows that resource to be read or modified by unintended actors.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2025-14740?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-wqrh-gcr7-7hj3",
  "modified" : "2026-02-04T15:30:28Z",
  "published" : "2026-02-04T15:30:28Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2025-14740" ],
  "details" : "Docker Desktop for Windows contains multiple incorrect permission assignment vulnerabilities in the installer's handling of the C:\\ProgramData\\DockerDesktop directory. The installer creates this directory without proper ownership verification, creating two exploitation scenarios:\n\nScenario 1 (Persistent Attack):\nIf a low-privileged attacker pre-creates C:\\ProgramData\\DockerDesktop before Docker Desktop installation, the attacker retains ownership of the directory even after the installer applies restrictive ACLs. At any time after installation completes, the attacker can modify the directory ACL (as the owner) and tamper with critical configuration files such as install-settings.json to specify a malicious credentialHelper, causing arbitrary code execution when any user runs Docker Desktop.\n\nScenario 2 (TOCTOU Attack):\nDuring installation, there is a time-of-check-time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition between when the installer creates C:\\ProgramData\\DockerDesktop and when it sets secure ACLs. A low-privileged attacker actively monitoring for the installation can inject malicious files (such as install-settings.json) with attacker-controlled ACLs during this window, achieving the same code execution outcome.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-14740"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://docs.docker.com/security"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-CAN-28190"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-CAN-28542"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-732" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : false,
    "github_reviewed_at" : null,
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-02-04T14:16:08Z"
  }
}