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.

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Fixes

Solution

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Workaround

Disable Docker Model Runner or only run trusted containers on Docker Desktop instances where Model Runner is enabled.

History

Fri, 22 May 2026 20:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
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.
Title Docker Model Runner container-to-host code execution via MLX-LM model_file importlib loading
Weaknesses CWE-829
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 8.2, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

cvssV4_0

{'score': 8.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H'}


Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Docker

Published:

Updated: 2026-05-22T19:28:38.857Z

Reserved: 2026-04-08T17:43:50.508Z

Link: CVE-2026-5843

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

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cve-icon Redhat

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cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

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Weaknesses