Workload redirection via excessive virt-handler permissions
Published Nov 7, 2025 · Updated Nov 7, 2025
Improper privilege management in KubeVirt 1.5.3 and earlier and 1.6.0 through 1.6.1 allows attackers to redirect VMIs to a compromised node. The default virt-handler service account can update any VMI and patch kubevirt.io node labels, so a stolen token can falsify nodeName and schedulable state cluster-wide. Exploitation requires control of a virt-handler pod or its host node; forced placement can move privileged workloads onto the compromised node.
Summary
What happened
Improper privilege management in KubeVirt 1.5.3 and earlier and 1.6.0 through 1.6.1 allows attackers to redirect VMIs to a compromised node. The default virt-handler service account can update any VMI and patch kubevirt.io node labels, so a stolen token can falsify nodeName and schedulable state cluster-wide. Exploitation requires control of a virt-handler pod or its host node; forced placement can move privileged workloads onto the compromised node.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-64436
- Published
- Nov 7, 2025
- Updated
- Nov 7, 2025
- Vendor
- KubeVirt
- Product
- KubeVirt
- Classifications
- CWE-276, CWE-269, T1078.001
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Nov 7, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Nov 7, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=<= 1.5.0
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- KubeVirt virt-handler service-account proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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