---
title: "HOST-CTR-002 Docker Daemon Not Hardened"
canonical: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-CTR-002.html
html: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-CTR-002.html
site: OpenVAPT, https://openvapt.com/
license: OpenVAPT Source-Available Licence 1.3, https://openvapt.com/legal/licence-text.html
modified: 2026-10-14
version: 0.1.0-alpha.6
---

# HOST-CTR-002 Docker Daemon Not Hardened

Checks the Docker daemon defaults: no-new-privileges, inter-container communication, user namespace remapping and live restore.

- Domain: Server
- Severity: Medium
- Control category: Secure Configuration
- Fix effort: medium
- CVSS v3.1 vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L`
- CIS Controls v8: 4.1
- NIST CSF 2.0: PR.PS-01
- CWE: CWE-250, CWE-1188
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6, AC-6
- Benchmark topic: Docker daemon configuration (topic only, no benchmark text)

## Why It Matters

Hardened daemon defaults limit what a compromised container can do: no-new-privileges blocks setuid escalation, disabling icc isolates containers, and user namespaces map container root to an unprivileged host user.

## How It Detects

Reads /etc/docker/daemon.json and lists each hardening setting that is missing: no-new-privileges true, icc false, userns-remap set, live-restore true.

## How to Fix

Add to /etc/docker/daemon.json:  "no-new-privileges": true, "icc": false, "userns-remap": "default", "live-restore": true  then restart Docker after testing your containers.

## How to Verify

```
cat /etc/docker/daemon.json ; docker info | grep -Ei 'security|userns'
```

## Learn the Theory

- [P9 Containers and Kubernetes](https://openvapt.com/academy/p9.md)

## References

- [Docker documentation, Docker Engine security](https://docs.docker.com/engine/security/)
- [NIST SP 800-190, Application Container Security Guide](https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/190/final)

## Source Code

https://github.com/OpenVAPT/openvapt/blob/574f7f3333c44b75a3c649e2d93a76d507f75adf/internal/checks/host/containers.go

Run it: `openvapt scan --only HOST-CTR-002`. Read it offline: `openvapt explain HOST-CTR-002`.

---

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