CVE-2025-5187: Kubernetes Nodes can delete themselves by adding an OwnerReference

August 27, 2025

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.

References

github.com/advisories/GHSA-4x4m-3c2p-qppc
github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes
github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/commit/a2d98cac56a0c5cb2d8abc4d087fc00846b3bc0f
github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/issues/133471
groups.google.com/g/kubernetes-security-announce/c/znSNY7XCztE
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-5187

Code Behaviors & Features

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