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Docker com.docker.socket Malware Warning on macOS ​

Problem ​

On macOS systems, Docker Desktop may fail to start with the error message:

"com.docker.socket was not opened because it contains malware"

This typically appears unexpectedly after a system reboot, even on machines where Docker previously functioned correctly. Common troubleshooting steps like dragging the application to Trash and reinstalling often fail to resolve the issue. The problem stems from Docker's rotated signing certificate for macOS, which causes security systems to flag existing helper tools as potential malware.

Data Loss Risk

Uninstalling Docker Desktop will destroy local containers, images, volumes, and Docker-related data. Back up essential data before proceeding.

Solution ​

The official fix involves upgrading to Docker Desktop 4.37.2 or later, which contains updated certificates:

  1. Download & Install the latest Docker Desktop version from docker.com
  2. Run Reset Command after installation:
    bash
    sudo /Applications/Docker.app/Contents/MacOS/com.docker.helper reset
  3. Reboot your Mac

Verification

Check your Docker Desktop version via Docker Desktop → About Docker Desktop in the menu bar.

Alternative: Comprehensive Reinstallation ​

If upgrading alone doesn't resolve the issue:

  1. Uninstall Docker Desktop
    Either via the GUI (Troubleshoot → Uninstall) or command line:

    bash
    sudo /Applications/Docker.app/Contents/MacOS/uninstall

  2. Remove Helper Tools Manually

    bash
    sudo rm /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.docker.socket
sudo rm /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.docker.vmnetd

  3. Reboot your system

  4. Reinstall Docker Desktop using the latest .dmg installer

  5. Run Install Script after reinstalling:

    bash
    sudo /Applications/Docker.app/Contents/MacOS/install

  6. Reboot again

CLI-Based Solution with Homebrew ​

For users preferring terminal management:

bash
# Remove Docker components
brew uninstall --cask docker --force
brew uninstall --formula docker --force

# Reinstall Docker components
brew install --cask docker
brew install docker-compose

Docker-Free Alternative: Colima Runtime ​

For users who don't require Docker Desktop's GUI:

  1. Uninstall Docker Desktop
  2. Install required tools:
    bash
    brew install docker docker-compose colima
  3. Enable Docker CLI with Colima:
    bash
    colima start
  4. Fix credential error if needed:
    bash
    # Edit Docker's config.json
vi ~/.docker/config.json
    Change "credsStore" to "credStore" in the configuration file.
Understanding the Cause

Docker rotated an expired macOS signing certificate, causing existing installations to be flagged as malware. This security measure prevents potentially compromised software from running but generates false positives in this specific scenario.

Conclusion ​

The recommended solution is to upgrade Docker Desktop to version 4.37.2 or later and run the helper reset command. If outdated components persist, perform a full uninstall with manual cleanup before reinstalling. For users who only need Docker's CLI features, Colima provides a lightweight alternative without dependency on Docker Desktop's privileged helper tools.

Official Resources