CVE-2026-5843
Published: 22 May 2026
Summary
CVE-2026-5843 is a high-severity Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere (CWE-829) vulnerability in Docker Docker Desktop. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked at the 13.1th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-31491
Vulnerability details
The MLX inference backend in Docker Model Runner on macOS uses the MLX-LM library, which unconditionally imports and executes arbitrary Python files from model directories via the model_file configuration field in config.json. When a model's config.json specifies a model_file pointing…
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to a Python file, MLX-LM uses importlib to load and execute it with no trust_remote_code gate or equivalent safety check. The MLX backend runs without sandboxing, resulting in arbitrary code execution on the Docker host as the Docker Desktop user. Any container on the Docker network can trigger this by calling the model-runner.docker.internal API to pull a malicious model from an attacker-controlled OCI registry and request inference.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Direct RCE via unauthenticated model pull + Python execution on host through model-runner API (T1190) with no trust gate on model_file (T1059.006).
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Limiting P2P file sharing technology reduces inclusion of functionality or resources from untrusted external control spheres.
Enforcing installation policies prevents users from including functionality obtained from untrusted control spheres.
The inventory process requires identifying and recording the origin of all components, making inclusion of functionality from untrusted control spheres easier to detect during reviews.
Requiring approval and monitoring of maintenance tools prevents inclusion and execution of functionality obtained from untrusted sources.
Unowned portable devices represent untrusted control spheres; the prohibition prevents inclusion of functionality or data from such sources.
Strategy mandates assessment of third-party components and suppliers, directly reducing inclusion of functionality from untrusted control spheres.
Procedures can mandate supply-chain vetting and restrictions on functionality obtained from untrusted third-party or external control spheres.
Requires use of trusted sources and provenance tracking, tangibly limiting inclusion of functionality from untrusted control spheres.