Auth bypass in Kubernetes
CVE-2025-5187
A vulnerability exists in the NodeRestriction admission controller in Kubernetes clusters where node users can delete their corresponding node object by patching themselves with an OwnerReference to a cluster-scoped resource. If the OwnerReference resource does not exist or is subsequently deleted, the given node object will be deleted via garbage collection.
Vulnerability class: Broken Access Control
Published · last modified .
CVSS v3 metric
CVSS v3 base score 6.7 (Medium). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L.
EPSS exploit prediction
EPSS: 0.006 (44.1th percentile), scored .
Very low probability of exploitation in the next 30 days; routine patching cadence is appropriate. 44th percentile — 44.1% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.
EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.005 · newest: 0.006 · change: +0.000
Affected products
- Kubernetes — versions v1.31.0, v1.32.0, v1.33.0
Weakness classification (CWE)
Public proof-of-concept exploits
References
- github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/issues/133471 (issue-tracking)
- groups.google.com/g/kubernetes-security-announce/c/znSNY7XCztE (mailing-list)
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2025-5187?
- CVE-2025-5187 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Kubernetes, classified under Incorrect Authorization. CVSS score: 6.7/10. Published 2025-08-27.
- How severe is CVE-2025-5187?
- Medium severity. CVSS v3 base score is 6.7 out of 10.
- Is CVE-2025-5187 known to be exploited?
- 1 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed. Not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.