critical CVSS 10

CVE-2026-57572·Docker vulnerability

Crawl4AI is an open-source LLM-friendly web crawler and scraper. Prior to 0.9.0, the Docker API server accepted request-supplied browser_config.extra_args, which flowed into Chromium's launch arguments. An attacker could inject Chromium switches that replace a child-process launch command together with --no-zygote, causing Chromium to fork or exec an attacker-controlled command as the container's runtime user. The Docker API is unauthenticated by default, so a single request yields arbitrary command execution. This issue is fixed in version 0.9.0.

Severity
critical
Software
Docker
Fixed in
0.9.0
Published
2026-07-06

Affected versions

Until: 0.9.0

Fixed in: 0.9.0

How to fix this CVE

Docker installations running Crawl4AI versions prior to 0.9.0 must be upgraded immediately to patch an unauthenticated remote code execution vulnerability in the API server. The vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious Chromium arguments through the browser_config.extra_args parameter, leading to arbitrary command execution with container runtime privileges. Update Docker and Crawl4AI to version 0.9.0 or later to remediate this critical issue.

sudo dnf update docker-ce

Defensia detects this vulnerability

What an exploitation attempt looks like

Sample log line indicative of exploitation attempts:

POST /api/crawl requests containing 'extra_args' parameters with Chromium flags like '--no-zygote' combined with executable paths (e.g., 'extra_args': ['--no-zygote', '/bin/sh -c <command>'])

WAF mitigation (if patching is not yet possible)

Add this rule to your WAF to block exploitation attempts while you schedule the patch. 

Block or sanitize POST/GET requests to Docker API endpoints that contain 'extra_args', 'browser_config', or known Chromium process control flags (--no-zygote, --single-process, etc.). Implement API authentication on the Docker API server before exposing to any network.

How to check if you are affected

  1. Check Docker version: docker --version
  2. Verify Crawl4AI version in running containers: docker exec <container_id> pip show crawl4ai | grep Version
  3. Review Docker daemon logs for suspicious extra_args parameters: grep -i 'extra_args' /var/lib/docker/containers/*/json.log or journalctl -u docker
  4. Confirm the update was applied: docker --version (should be current) and re-check Crawl4AI version to ensure 0.9.0 or later

FAQ

What is CVE-2026-57572?

This vulnerability affects Docker's Crawl4AI API server, which improperly validates user-supplied browser configuration arguments. Attackers can exploit this flaw to inject Chromium process arguments that execute arbitrary system commands within the container as the runtime user, bypassing authentication entirely.

Is CVE-2026-57572 being actively exploited?

No, this vulnerability is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog and no public exploits are available. However, the attack is trivial to execute—any network access to the unauthenticated Docker API poses immediate risk.

What versions of Docker are affected by CVE-2026-57572?

Crawl4AI versions prior to 0.9.0 are vulnerable. Docker itself is not the direct vulnerability vector; the issue lies in how Crawl4AI's Docker API server processes the browser_config.extra_args parameter.

How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2026-57572?

Run 'docker exec <container_id> pip show crawl4ai' to determine the installed Crawl4AI version. If the version is below 0.9.0 and the Docker API is exposed to untrusted networks, the system is vulnerable.

Does Defensia detect CVE-2026-57572?

Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If Docker and Crawl4AI are installed on a monitored server, CVE-2026-57572 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.

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References

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