---
title: "HOST-CTR-009 Docker Not Running in Rootless Mode"
canonical: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-CTR-009.html
html: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-CTR-009.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-009 Docker Not Running in Rootless Mode

Reports whether the Docker daemon runs as root or in rootless mode. Informational.

- Domain: Server
- Severity: Info
- Control category: Secure Configuration
- Fix effort: high
- CVSS v3.1 vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:N`
- CIS Controls v8: 4.1
- NIST CSF 2.0: PR.PS-01
- CWE: CWE-250
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-6, SC-39
- Benchmark topic: CIS Docker Benchmark 2.18 (run the daemon in rootless mode) (topic only, no benchmark text)

## Why It Matters

In rootless mode the daemon and every container run inside a user namespace as an ordinary account, so a container breakout lands in that account rather than in root. It is not possible for every workload (some networking and storage features differ), so this is information for a design decision, not a failure.

## How It Detects

Looks for a rootless indicator: a per-user socket at /run/user/*/docker.sock, a per-user daemon configuration at /home/*/.config/docker/daemon.json, or a user systemd unit for docker. Reports root mode when only the system daemon is present.

## How to Fix

Where the workloads allow it, install rootless Docker (dockerd-rootless-setuptool.sh install) for the service account and disable the system daemon; otherwise keep userns-remap (HOST-CTR-002) as the fallback.

## How to Verify

```
docker info --format '{{.SecurityOptions}}'  lists name=rootless.
```

## 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, Rootless mode](https://docs.docker.com/engine/security/rootless/)
- [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_depth.go

Run it: `openvapt scan --only HOST-CTR-009`. Read it offline: `openvapt explain HOST-CTR-009`.

---

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