Key points
- CVE-2026-105445 allowed unauthorized access to container repositories using reassigned personal access tokens.
- Docker deployed a production fix on September 30, 2026, after receiving a report that same day.
- The vendor found no evidence of exploitation after reviewing hundreds of thousands of image pushes.
Docker Hub users who converted personal accounts to organizations between August 2024 and September 2026 may have had their personal access tokens reassigned without consent. Docker has confirmed a fix is live and deactivated affected tokens. Security teams should verify their registry credentials and review recent image pushes for anomalies.
In plain English
The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-105445, stemmed from how Docker Hub handled personal access tokens during account conversions. When a user converted a personal account into an organization, the system transferred the original account's personal access tokens to the new organization owner. This transfer occurred without changing the token secret or obtaining the target user's approval.
An attacker could exploit this by creating an account, generating a personal access token, and then converting that account into an organization while naming a victim as the owner. The attacker retained knowledge of the token secret, but Docker Hub now linked that token to the victim's identity. This allowed the attacker to authenticate as the target user at the registry level.
The background
According to Docker, the flaw was introduced on August 26, 2024, when the conversion process began reassigning personal access tokens to designated organization owners. The issue persisted until September 30, 2026, when Docker received a vulnerability report and deployed a fix to production less than four hours later. The exposure window lasted approximately two years.
The vulnerability allowed attackers to pull, push, or delete images in the target's repositories and accessible organizations, depending on the token's scope. Docker rated the flaw critical because it posed a software supply chain risk, potentially allowing attackers to publish malicious images under legitimate names. However, the flaw did not provide web access or allow changes to passwords or two-factor settings.
What changes now
Docker deactivated transferred personal access tokens on October 8, except for those whose owners explicitly requested to retain them. Affected users and organization owners were notified on October 2. The vendor stated it found no evidence of exploitation after examining 304,000 pushes made with transferred tokens and analyzing high-risk public images.
Who needs to act first
Teams managing Docker Hub accounts should prioritize reviewing any personal access tokens created before October 2026. Organizations typically begin by auditing which tokens were used during the account conversion period. It is prudent to rotate all existing personal access tokens to ensure no stale credentials remain active. Security operations should monitor registry logs for unusual push or delete activities originating from known service accounts. Backing up current token configurations before rotation helps maintain build pipeline continuity.
Background: Supply chain attacks
Supply chain attacks compromise trusted software or hardware before it reaches you. Attackers inject malicious code into updates or dependencies, allowing them to enter your network through legitimate channels. You must verify digital signatures and limit privileges to stop this silent infiltration.
Read the full guide: Supply Chain Attacks: How Compromised Dependencies Breach Your Network
What to do and how to stay safe: Docker Hub
- Rotate all personal access tokens used for Docker Hub authentication to invalidate any potentially compromised secrets.
- Review registry activity logs for unexpected image pushes or deletions from accounts that underwent conversion during the exposure window.
- Verify that organization ownership records match current administrative expectations and remove any unauthorized owners.
- Monitor downstream applications for unexpected container image updates that could indicate supply chain compromise.
Step-by-step guide: 7 Configuration Errors That Expose Systems to Zero-Day Exploits
General security guidance from the Vuln Post newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.
Frequently asked questions
Did attackers exploit this vulnerability?
Docker found no evidence of exploitation after examining 304,000 pushes made with transferred tokens and analyzing high-risk public images.
Could attackers take over full user accounts?
No, the flaw did not provide access to the Docker Hub website or allow changes to passwords, email addresses, or two-factor authentication settings.
When was the fix deployed?
Docker deployed a fix to production on September 30, 2026, less than four hours after receiving the vulnerability report.
