CVE-2025-4437
Cri-o: large /etc/passwd file may lead to denial of service
There's a vulnerability in the CRI-O application where when container is launched with securityContext.runAsUser specifying a non-existent user, CRI-O attempts to create the user, reading the container's entire /etc/passwd file into memory. If this file is excessively large, it can cause the a high memory consumption leading applications to be killed due to out-of-memory. As a result a denial-of-service can be achieved, possibly disrupting other pods and services running in the same host.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- Required
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Cri-o: large /etc/passwd file may lead to denial of service
There's a vulnerability in the CRI-O application where when container is launched with securityContext.runAsUser specifying a non-existent user, CRI-O attempts to create the user, reading the container's entire /etc/passwd file into memory. If this file is excessively large, it can cause the a high memory consumption leading applications to be killed due to out-of-memory. As a result a denial-of-service can be achieved, possibly disrupting other pods and services running in the same host.
- Record
CVE-2025-4437- CVSS 3.1
- 5.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-770
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2025-28020
There's a vulnerability in the CRI-O application where when container is launched with securityContext.runAsUser specifying a non-existent user, CRI-O attempts to create the user, reading the container's entire /etc/passwd file into memory. If this file is excessively large, it can cause the a high memory consumption leading applications to be killed due to out-of-memory. As a result a denial-of-service can be achieved, possibly disrupting other pods and services running in the same host.
- Record
EUVD-2025-28020- CVSS 3.1
- 5.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-8f93-j3fx-72f3
CRI-O has Potential High Memory Consumption from File Read
There's a vulnerability in the CRI-O application where when container is launched with securityContext.runAsUser specifying a non-existent user, CRI-O attempts to create the user, reading the container's entire /etc/passwd file into memory. If this file is excessively large, it can cause the a high memory consumption leading applications to be killed due to out-of-memory. As a result a denial-of-service can be achieved, possibly disrupting other pods and services running in the same host.
- Record
GHSA-8f93-j3fx-72f3- CVSS 3.1
- 5.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-770
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
There's a vulnerability in the CRI-O application where when container is launched with securityContext.runAsUser specifying a non-existent user, CRI-O attempts to create the user, reading the container's entire /etc/passwd file into memory. If this file is excessively large, it can cause the a high memory consumption leading applications to be killed due to out-of-memory. As a result a denial-of-service can be achieved, possibly disrupting other pods and services running in the same host.
- Record
CVE-2025-4437- CVSS 3.1
- 5.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-770
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-8f93-j3fx-72f3
CRI-O has Potential High Memory Consumption from File Read
There's a vulnerability in the CRI-O application where when container is launched with securityContext.runAsUser specifying a non-existent user, CRI-O attempts to create the user, reading the container's entire /etc/passwd file into memory. If this file is excessively large, it can cause the a high memory consumption leading applications to be killed due to out-of-memory. As a result a denial-of-service can be achieved, possibly disrupting other pods and services running in the same host.
- Record
GHSA-8f93-j3fx-72f3- CVSS 3.1
- 5.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-770
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGO-2025-3897 No score
CRI-O has Potential High Memory Consumption from File Read in github.com/cri-o/cri-o
CRI-O has Potential High Memory Consumption from File Read in github.com/cri-o/cri-o
- Record
GO-2025-3897- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
github.com/cri-o/cri-oGo |
through 1.33.3 | None known |
github.com/cri-o/cri-oGo |
All versions | None known |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2025-4437 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.7) in Red Hat Openshift Container Platform 4, published August 20, 2025. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.26%, the 18th percentile. No source names a fixed version.