CVE-2025-6587 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in Docker Desktop, specifically related to the inadvertent logging of sensitive system environment variables during the use of shell auto-completion features. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-532, which involves the insertion of sensitive information into log files. When users utilize shell auto-completion in Docker Desktop versions prior to 4.43.0, system environment variables—including potentially sensitive data such as API keys, passwords, and other secrets—are recorded in diagnostic logs. These logs, if accessed by a malicious actor with read permissions, could lead to unauthorized disclosure of confidential information. This exposure could facilitate further attacks, such as unauthorized access to other systems or services that rely on these secrets for authentication or authorization. The vulnerability has a CVSS 4.0 base score of 5.2, reflecting a medium severity level. The vector indicates that exploitation requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), privileges (PR:L), and partial user interaction (AT:P), but no user interaction (UI:N) is needed. The scope is high (S:H), meaning the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. Starting with Docker Desktop version 4.43.0, the issue has been addressed by ceasing the logging of system environment variables in diagnostic logs, mitigating the risk of sensitive data leakage through this vector. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild. This vulnerability highlights the risk of sensitive data exposure through diagnostic or debug logs, a common but often overlooked security concern in software development and operations environments.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-6587 can be significant, especially for those heavily reliant on Docker Desktop for containerized application development and deployment. The inadvertent logging of sensitive environment variables can lead to the exposure of critical credentials such as API keys and passwords. If these logs are accessible by unauthorized personnel—whether through insider threats, misconfigured permissions, or lateral movement after an initial breach—attackers could leverage the exposed secrets to escalate privileges, access internal systems, or compromise cloud services. This risk is particularly acute in sectors with stringent data protection requirements, such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, where unauthorized access could lead to data breaches, regulatory penalties under GDPR, and operational disruptions. Additionally, the vulnerability could undermine trust in containerized environments and complicate compliance audits. The medium severity rating suggests that while exploitation requires some level of privilege and local access, the potential for significant confidentiality breaches remains high. Organizations that do not update to Docker Desktop 4.43.0 or later remain vulnerable, especially if diagnostic logs are retained or shared without adequate access controls.

To mitigate CVE-2025-6587, European organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Upgrade all Docker Desktop installations to version 4.43.0 or later, where the logging of system environment variables in diagnostic logs has been disabled. 2) Audit and restrict access permissions to diagnostic and log files to the minimum necessary, ensuring that only trusted administrators or automated systems with a legitimate need can read these logs. 3) Implement log management policies that include secure storage, encryption at rest, and regular purging of diagnostic logs to reduce the window of exposure. 4) Review and sanitize environment variables to avoid placing sensitive information in system-wide environment variables where possible; use secrets management tools integrated with container orchestration platforms to handle sensitive data securely. 5) Monitor for unusual access patterns to log files and environment variables, employing anomaly detection to identify potential insider threats or lateral movement. 6) Educate developers and operations teams about the risks of logging sensitive information and enforce secure coding and operational practices to prevent similar issues. 7) Consider implementing runtime security tools that can detect and alert on the exposure of secrets in logs or memory.