CVE-2025-44021: 
Python vulnerability analysis and mitigation

OpenStack Ironic before versions 24.1.3, 26.1.1, and 29.0.1 contains a vulnerability in its image handling functionality. The vulnerability was discovered by Julia Kreger of Red Hat and disclosed on May 8, 2025. The issue allows a malicious project assigned as a node owner to provide a path to any local file readable by the ironic-conductor, which may then be written to the target node disk during deployment operations performed via the API (OpenStack Advisory).

The vulnerability stems from insufficient path validation in the file:// URL handling functionality. When processing image deployments, the system fails to properly restrict which local files can be accessed via file:// URLs. This allows an attacker to potentially access sensitive files readable by the ironic-conductor service. The vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS v3.1 Base Score of 2.8 (LOW) with the vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:N, indicating local access is required with high attack complexity (NVD).

While the vulnerability allows writing sensitive conductor files to target node disks, exploitation is limited in practice. A node deployed using this method should never reach the ACTIVE state, reducing the risk. However, in environments with non-default configurations, particularly those with automated cleaning disabled, the vulnerability could lead to exposure of sensitive information from the conductor to unauthorized systems (OpenStack Advisory).

Fixed versions have been released: 24.1.3, 26.1.1, and 29.0.1. Patches have been provided for all supported Ironic branches, and as a courtesy, for some unmaintained branches and the recently end-of-life 2023.2/bobcat release. Organizations should upgrade to the fixed versions to address this vulnerability. The maintainers will provide updated releases for maintained branches but will not create new releases for bugfix or unmaintained branches (OpenStack Advisory).