Docker Desktop on macOS unable to start due to malware reports

Some users are seeing an issue starting Docker Desktop on macOS where macOS reports that either com.docker.vmnetd or com.docker.socket is malware.

The workaround is to:

1. Quit Docker Desktop and check that no remaining docker processes are running using the Activity Monitor

2. Run the following commands:
#!/bin/bash

# Stop the docker services
echo "Stopping Docker..."
sudo pkill [dD]ocker

# Stop the vmnetd service
echo "Stopping com.docker.vmnetd service..."
sudo launchctl bootout system /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.docker.vmnetd.plist

# Stop the socket service
echo "Stopping com.docker.socket service..."
sudo launchctl bootout system /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.docker.socket.plist

# Remove vmnetd binary
echo "Removing com.docker.vmnetd binary..."
sudo rm -f /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.docker.vmnetd

# Remove socket binary
echo "Removing com.docker.socket binary..."
sudo rm -f /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.docker.socket

# Install new binaries
echo "Install new binaries..."
sudo cp /Applications/Docker.app/Contents/Library/LaunchServices/com.docker.vmnetd /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/
sudo cp /Applications/Docker.app/Contents/MacOS/com.docker.socket /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/

3. Restart Docker Desktop.

4. If this did not work, update to a newer version and rerun the steps (links here: https://docs.docker.com/desktop/release-notes/)

More details in this issue: https://github.com/docker/for-mac/issues/7527

The root cause has been identified: some files in existing installations are incorrectly signed which can be fixed by copying correctly signed files from the Docker.app application bundle.

We are working on a proper fix.

Patch releases for Docker Desktop versions 4.32 to 4.37 are now available. Please refer to https://docs.docker.com/desktop/cert-revoke-solution/ for more detail.

We continue to monitor this situation.