Docker Hub Security Advisory: CVE-2026-105445 Token Flaw

Docker published a critical Docker Hub security advisory to address CVE-2026-105445. This severe flaw impacted account-to-organization conversions on the platform. Attackers could secretly transfer personal access tokens to target users. Fortunately, the company quickly resolved the risk and confirmed zero exploitation.

Why This Token Vulnerability Matters

This vulnerability represents a massive software supply chain risk. Threat actors could publish malicious containers under trusted developer names. Consequently, organizations downloading these trusted images would unknowingly install malware. Mark Lechner, Chief Information Security Officer at Docker, highlighted the severity. He published these findings in his recent Docker Hub security advisory. Lechner stated, “Within the scope of the token, a re-assigned PAT acted as the target user.” He explained that attackers could pull, push, or delete images.

Furthermore, he wrote, “Because that includes publishing images under a legitimate name, we treated this as a software supply chain risk.” This unauthorized access severely compromises global container registry integrity. However, the vulnerability did not grant access to the web interface. Attackers could not change passwords, email addresses, or two-factor authentication settings. Therefore, a complete account takeover was not possible through this specific flaw.

How the Account Conversion Attack Works

The attack exploits a gap in identity and access management workflows. First, an adversary creates a temporary account and generates a token. Next, the attacker converts that account into a new organization. They designate a target user as the new organization owner. The named owner never receives a notification or a confirmation request. During this process, the system re-assigned the token to the target. Crucially, it failed to rotate or revoke the token secret. As a result, the attacker retains the original token secret. This active token now operates with the permissions of the targeted user. It automatically inherits the target user’s existing organizational access rights. The registry completely trusts this token as the targeted developer.

Affected Exposure Window and Scope

The exposure window ran from August 26, 2024, to September 30, 2026. During this lengthy timeframe, the platform transferred numerous personal access tokens. Security researchers Peter Molnar and Krisztian Hozak originally discovered the flaw. They reported the vulnerability responsibly through the official disclosure program. Security teams then reviewed approximately 304,000 pushes made with transferred tokens. They correlated account conversions with registry authentication logs and token records.

Investigators found no evidence of malicious exploitation or software tampering. Legitimate teams performed the vast majority of these account conversions. Every monitored push landed in appropriate and expected organizational repositories. Security teams also statically analyzed the highest-risk public images thoroughly. They found no malware, cryptominers, or credential harvesting tools.

Mitigation Steps and System Patches

Engineers deployed a permanent fix to production on September 30, 2026. The conversion process no longer transfers personal access tokens automatically. Instead, new organization owners must generate fresh credentials manually. The company also implemented new consent requirements for organization owners. Users now receive explicit notifications when someone names them as an owner. Additionally, the platform deactivated all previously transferred tokens on October 8.

Users should read the complete Docker Hub security advisory for detailed guidance. Administrators must routinely audit their personal access tokens and settings. They must revoke any unrecognized or unused credentials immediately. Finally, teams should transition to organization access tokens for automated workflows.

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Written by

@DdoS · Security Researcher

Do Son

Do Son is the Founder and Editor of SecurityOnline.info. Working in cybersecurity since 2013, he reports on vulnerabilities, malware, and emerging threats, providing timely analysis to help organizations and individuals stay ahead of evolving risks.