CVE-2025-7195

What it is

Early versions of Operator-SDK provided an insecure method to allow operator containers to run in environments that used a random UID. Operator-SDK before 0.15.2 provided a script, user_setup, which modifies the permissions of the /etc/passwd file to 664 during build time. Developers who used Operator-SDK before 0.15.2 to scaffold their operator may still be impacted by this if the insecure user_setup script is still being used to build new container images. In affected images, the /etc/passwd file is created during build time with group-writable permissions and a group ownership of root (gid=0). An attacker who can execute commands within an affected container, even as a non-root user, may be able to leverage their membership in the root group to modify the /etc/passwd file. This could allow the attacker to add a new user with any arbitrary UID, including UID 0, leading to full root privileges within the container.

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited locally on the machine with an admin-level account. High risk of data exposure, data tampering, service disruption.

Exploit odds

0.3% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

No patch or advisory is linked yet. Look at mitigations or restrict exposure.

Timeline

1. 2025-08-07 19:15 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-09-21 18:17 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.3% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 6.4 MEDIUM (CVSS).
• Fix: none linked yet, which raises it.

Details

Published

2025-08-07 19:15 UTC

Last modified

2026-09-21 18:17 UTC

Exploit probability

0.3% · EPSS, next 30 days

Weakness

CWE-276 · Incorrect default permissions

Record status

Deferred

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 6.4

Attack vector

Local

Complexity

High

Privileges needed

High

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Is it in your code?

Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.

Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2025-7195.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2025-7195. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.

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