CVE-2025-53376 Overview
CVE-2025-53376 is a command injection vulnerability in Dokploy, a self-hostable Platform as a Service (PaaS) for deploying and managing applications and databases. The flaw exists in the tRPC procedure docker.getContainersByAppNameMatch, which interpolates an attacker-supplied appName value into a Docker command-line interface (CLI) call without sanitization. An authenticated, low-privileged user can leverage this behavior to execute arbitrary operating system commands under the Dokploy service account. The vulnerability is tracked under CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command). Dokploy maintainers fixed the issue in version 0.23.7.
Critical Impact
Authenticated low-privileged users can execute arbitrary OS commands on the Dokploy host, compromising confidentiality, integrity, and availability of hosted applications.
Affected Products
- Dokploy versions prior to 0.23.7
- Self-hosted Dokploy PaaS deployments
- Any Dokploy instance exposing the tRPC API to authenticated users
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-07-07 - CVE-2025-53376 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-53376
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in the docker.getContainersByAppNameMatch tRPC procedure exposed by the Dokploy backend. The procedure accepts an appName parameter from authenticated clients and passes that value into a Docker CLI invocation through string interpolation. Because Dokploy does not sanitize or escape the input, shell metacharacters within appName are interpreted by the underlying shell. An authenticated user with low privileges can therefore inject arbitrary commands that execute under the Dokploy service account context. Successful exploitation grants the attacker the same operating system permissions held by Dokploy itself, which typically includes broad access to the Docker socket and managed containers.
Root Cause
The root cause is unsanitized interpolation of user-controlled input into a shell command. The appName parameter flows directly from the tRPC handler into a Docker CLI string without input validation, allowlisting, or use of safer process spawning APIs that separate command and argument parsing. This is a textbook OS command injection pattern classified under CWE-78.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires network access to the Dokploy tRPC endpoint and valid authentication as any low-privileged user. The attacker submits a crafted appName value containing shell metacharacters such as ;, &&, |, or backticks followed by arbitrary commands. When the backend constructs the Docker CLI invocation, the shell evaluates the injected payload. The injected command runs with the privileges of the Dokploy service account, enabling lateral movement, data exfiltration, container manipulation, or full host compromise depending on the deployment configuration.
No public proof-of-concept exploit is currently available. See the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-m486-7pmj-8cmv for the maintainer's technical write-up.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-53376
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected child processes spawned by the Dokploy service account, particularly shells (sh, bash) launched from the Dokploy Node.js process.
- Docker CLI invocations containing shell metacharacters such as ;, &&, ||, |, or backticks within the appName argument.
- Outbound network connections from the Dokploy host to unfamiliar IP addresses following tRPC requests to docker.getContainersByAppNameMatch.
- New or modified files in user-writable directories owned by the Dokploy service account.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect Dokploy application logs and reverse-proxy access logs for tRPC calls to docker.getContainersByAppNameMatch containing suspicious characters in the appName field.
- Enable command-line auditing (Linux auditd, execve events) on the Dokploy host and alert on shell processes whose parent is the Dokploy runtime.
- Correlate authentication events with subsequent process executions to identify low-privileged users triggering host-level commands.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward Dokploy logs, host audit logs, and Docker daemon logs to a centralized SIEM for correlation and retention.
- Baseline normal Docker CLI usage by Dokploy and alert on deviations such as unusual command flags or piped commands.
- Monitor outbound traffic from the Dokploy host for connections to threat-intelligence flagged destinations.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-53376
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade Dokploy to version 0.23.7 or later on all self-hosted instances without delay.
- Audit existing Dokploy user accounts and revoke access for unused or untrusted low-privileged users.
- Review host audit logs and Dokploy logs since the vulnerable version was deployed to identify potential prior exploitation.
- Rotate credentials, API tokens, and secrets stored on the Dokploy host if compromise is suspected.
Patch Information
The fix is implemented in commit fb5d2bd5b67322f1468e5e4d0d5abcf97517761c and shipped in Dokploy 0.23.7. The patch sanitizes the appName input before it reaches the Docker CLI invocation. Administrators should pull the updated release from the official Dokploy GitHub repository and redeploy. Review the GHSA-m486-7pmj-8cmv advisory for the maintainer's guidance.
Workarounds
- Restrict network access to the Dokploy tRPC endpoint using firewall rules or a VPN until the patch is applied.
- Limit Dokploy account creation to trusted administrators and disable self-service registration if enabled.
- Run the Dokploy service under a dedicated low-privilege account with minimal filesystem and Docker socket permissions to reduce blast radius.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
