Vulnerability Description
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 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.
CVSS Score
HIGH
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Docker | Docker Desktop | >= 4.56.0, < 4.71.0 |
| Apple | Macos | - |
Related Weaknesses (CWE)
References
- https://docs.docker.com/desktop/release-notes/#4710Release Notes
FAQ
What is CVE-2026-5843?
CVE-2026-5843 is a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 8.2 (HIGH). 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 configura...
How severe is CVE-2026-5843?
CVE-2026-5843 has been rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 8.2/10. Review the CVSS metrics above for detailed severity breakdown.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-5843?
Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Affected products include: Docker Docker Desktop, Apple Macos.