CVE-2025-7195 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting early versions of the Operator-SDK used by Red Hat's File Integrity Operator. The root cause lies in an insecure script named user_setup, which was used during container image build time before Operator-SDK version 0.15.2. This script modifies the permissions of the /etc/passwd file to 664 and sets its group ownership to root (gid=0). As a result, the /etc/passwd file becomes group-writable by the root group inside the container. In container environments that use random user IDs (random UID), this permission configuration is insecure because any user process running inside the container that is a member of the root group can modify /etc/passwd. An attacker with the ability to execute commands inside such a container, even without root privileges, could exploit this to add new users with arbitrary UIDs, including UID 0 (root). This escalation grants the attacker full root privileges within the container, potentially allowing them to bypass container isolation controls and perform unauthorized actions. The vulnerability requires that the container image was built using the vulnerable user_setup script and that the attacker has some level of command execution inside the container. The CVSS 3.1 score is 5.2, reflecting a medium severity with local attack vector, high attack complexity, and high privileges required. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild. This vulnerability primarily impacts containerized environments using the affected Operator-SDK versions and the Red Hat File Integrity Operator, especially where random UID containers are deployed.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to those deploying containerized applications using Red Hat's File Integrity Operator built with early versions of Operator-SDK. The ability for a non-root user inside a container to escalate privileges to root can lead to container breakout scenarios, unauthorized access to sensitive data, and potential lateral movement within internal networks. Organizations relying on container orchestration platforms like Kubernetes, where operators manage critical workloads, could see disruption or compromise of integrity monitoring processes. This could affect compliance with European data protection regulations such as GDPR if sensitive data is exposed or altered. Additionally, industries with high security requirements, such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, may face increased risks due to the potential for privilege escalation and subsequent attacks. Although exploitation requires some level of access inside the container, compromised containers could serve as footholds for attackers to escalate privileges and move laterally within corporate networks.

European organizations should audit their container images to identify those built with Operator-SDK versions prior to 0.15.2 that use the user_setup script. They should rebuild affected container images using updated Operator-SDK versions that do not apply insecure permissions to /etc/passwd. Implement strict container runtime security policies to limit group memberships and restrict capabilities that allow privilege escalation. Employ container security tools that monitor file permissions and alert on anomalous changes to critical files like /etc/passwd. Use Kubernetes Pod Security Policies or equivalent to enforce non-root user execution and prevent containers from running with excessive privileges. Additionally, conduct regular security reviews of operator containers and apply defense-in-depth measures such as network segmentation and runtime behavioral monitoring to detect suspicious activity within containers. Finally, ensure that container orchestration platforms and underlying host systems are patched and hardened according to best practices.