CVE-2025-4437: Github.com/cri o/cri o CRI-O Has Potential High Memory Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-8f93-j3fx-72f3
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CVSS 5.7
CWE-770
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2025-4437 is a MODERATE (CVSS 5.7) cri-o has potential high memory vulnerability (CWE-770: Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling) affecting Github.com/cri o/cri o libraries in the Go ecosystem. The issue involves cri-o has potential high memory consumption from file read. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2025-4437 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2025-4437
GHSA Identifier GHSA-8f93-j3fx-72f3
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 5.7
CWE Classification CWE-770: Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling
Affected Product Github.com/cri o/cri o
Package Ecosystem Go
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 5.7

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction Required (UI:R)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2025-4437

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Github.com/cri o/cri o dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

github.com/cri-o/cri-o fixed: Latest secure release 
Upgrade github.com/cri-o/cri-o to Latest secure release
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

inspect dependencies for github.com/cri-o/cri-o

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2025-4437, inspect your project dependencies for Github.com/cri o/cri o:

inspect dependencies for github.com/cri-o/cri-o

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Github.com/cri o/cri o in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-770: Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling, where the product allocates a reusable resource or group of resources on behalf of an actor without imposing any intended restrictions on the size or number of resources that can be allocated. In Github.com/cri o/cri o, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

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.

CVE-2025-4437 Affected Github.com/cri o/cri o Versions

1 component(s)
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
github.com/cri-o/cri-o
golang/github.com/cri-o/cri-o
Go
≤ 1.33.3

References

NVD — CVE-2025-4437 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-4437
Github.com/cri o/cri o Security Information SECURITY
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-4437
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi WEB
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2375084
Github.com/cri o/cri o Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/cri-o/cri-o
pkg.go.dev/vuln/go-2025-3897 WEB
https://pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2025-3897

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-4437?
CVE-2025-4437 is a security vulnerability in Github.com/cri o/cri o involving CRI-O has Potential High Memory Consumption from File Read under CWE-770: Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling.
Which Github.com/cri o/cri o versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches across affected packages: github.com/cri-o/cri-o.
What version fixes CVE-2025-4437?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is github.com/cri-o/cri-o affected?
Yes, github.com/cri-o/cri-o is affected in releases prior to Latest secure release. Upgrade your dependency to Latest secure release or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2025-4437?
CVE-2025-4437 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.7 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2025-4437?
CVE-2025-4437 is classified under CWE-770: Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling (The product allocates a reusable resource or group of resources on behalf of an actor without imposing any intended restrictions on the size or number of resources that can be allocated.).
How can I check Go dependencies for CVE-2025-4437?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for github.com/cri-o/cri-o'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-8f93-j3fx-72f3",
  "modified" : "2025-08-29T20:38:22Z",
  "published" : "2025-08-20T15:31:41Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2025-4437" ],
  "summary" : "CRI-O has Potential High Memory Consumption from File Read",
  "details" : "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.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/cri-o/cri-o"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "last_affected" : "1.33.3"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-4437"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-4437"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2375084"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/cri-o/cri-o"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2025-3897"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-770" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2025-08-20T19:10:29Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2025-08-20T13:15:28Z"
  }
}