---
title: "HOST-CTR-008 Docker Socket Accessible to Non-Administrators"
canonical: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-CTR-008.html
html: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-CTR-008.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-008 Docker Socket Accessible to Non-Administrators

Checks the Docker socket's permissions and who belongs to the docker group.

- Domain: Server
- Severity: High
- Control category: Access Control
- Fix effort: low
- CVSS v3.1 vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`
- CIS Controls v8: 3.3
- NIST CSF 2.0: PR.AA-05, PR.DS-01
- CWE: CWE-732, CWE-250
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, AC-6, CM-6
- Benchmark topic: CIS Docker Benchmark 1.2.2 and 3.15 (only trusted users control the daemon; socket ownership and permissions) (topic only, no benchmark text)

## Why It Matters

Whoever can write to /var/run/docker.sock is root: one command starts a privileged container with the host's disk mounted. Members of the docker group have that power without sudo, logging or a password prompt, so the group should be empty or hold only administrators.

## How It Detects

Stats /var/run/docker.sock (or /run/docker.sock) and fails when others can read or write it, or when it is not owned by root. Reads /etc/group and /etc/passwd and lists every member of the docker group as evidence; a non-empty group fails.

## How to Fix

chmod 660 /var/run/docker.sock && chown root:docker /var/run/docker.sock  (the daemon recreates it with these defaults). Remove users from the docker group (gpasswd -d <user> docker) and give administrators sudo docker, or move to rootless Docker.

## How to Verify

```
stat -c '%a %U:%G %n' /var/run/docker.sock ; getent group docker
```

## Learn the Theory

- [P9 Containers and Kubernetes](https://openvapt.com/academy/p9.md)
- [A5 Container Runtime Hardening Depth](https://openvapt.com/academy/a5.md)

## References

- [Docker documentation, Protect the Docker daemon socket](https://docs.docker.com/engine/security/protect-access/)
- [OWASP Docker Security Cheat Sheet](https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/Docker_Security_Cheat_Sheet.html)
- [CIS Docker Benchmark (referenced by recommendation number)](https://www.cisecurity.org/benchmark/docker)

## Source Code

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

Run it: `openvapt scan --only HOST-CTR-008`. Read it offline: `openvapt explain HOST-CTR-008`.

---

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