### Which jobs are flaking?

- k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/controller/garbagecollector.garbagecollector
- https://k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/controller: tainteviction

### Which tests are flaking?

https://prow.k8s.io/view/gs/kubernetes-jenkins/logs/ci-kubernetes-unit/1795460000760467456
https://prow.k8s.io/view/gs/kubernetes-jenkins/logs/ci-kubernetes-unit/1795613262369263616

### Since when has it been flaking?

NA

### Testgrid link

https://testgrid.k8s.io/sig-release-master-blocking#ci-kubernetes-unit

### Reason for failure (if possible)

> stacktrace=<
> 	goroutine 561 [running]:
> 	k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/runtime.logPanic({0x3a488b8, 0x4edba40}, {0x31ac240, 0x4e2c1d0})
> 		/home/prow/go/src/k8s.io/kubernetes/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/runtime/runtime.go:107 +0xe5
> 	k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/runtime.handleCrash({0x3a488b8, 0x4edba40}, {0x31ac240, 0x4e2c1d0}, {0x4edba40, 0x0, 0xc000c94da8?})
> 		/home/prow/go/src/k8s.io/kubernetes/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/runtime/runtime.go:82 +0xa2
> 	k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/runtime.HandleCrash({0x0, 0x0, 0x36477f0?})
> 		/home/prow/go/src/k8s.io/kubernetes/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/runtime/runtime.go:59 +0x18f
> 	panic({0x31ac240?, 0x4e2c1d0?})
> 		/usr/local/go/src/runtime/panic.go:770 +0x132
> 	k8s.io/client-go/tools/record.(*eventBroadcasterImpl).StartEventWatcher.func1()
> 		/home/prow/go/src/k8s.io/kubernetes/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/record/event.go:407 +0xbc
> 	created by k8s.io/client-go/tools/record.(*eventBroadcasterImpl).StartEventWatcher in goroutine 552
> 		/home/prow/go/src/k8s.io/kubernetes/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/record/event.go:400 +0x1b1
>  >
> panic: runtime error: invalid memory address or nil pointer dereference [recovered]
> 	panic: runtime error: invalid memory address or nil pointer dereference
> [signal SIGSEGV: segmentation violation code=0x1 addr=0x18 pc=0x223479c]
> 

### Anything else we need to know?

_No response_

### Relevant SIG(s)

_No response_
k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/controller UT flakes for invalid memory address
This is a GitHub Issue
repo:kubernetes
owner:kubernetes
Title : k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/controller UT flakes for invalid memory address
Issue date:

--- start body ---
### Which jobs are flaking?

- k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/controller/garbagecollector.garbagecollector
- https://k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/controller: tainteviction

### Which tests are flaking?

https://prow.k8s.io/view/gs/kubernetes-jenkins/logs/ci-kubernetes-unit/1795460000760467456
https://prow.k8s.io/view/gs/kubernetes-jenkins/logs/ci-kubernetes-unit/1795613262369263616

### Since when has it been flaking?

NA

### Testgrid link

https://testgrid.k8s.io/sig-release-master-blocking#ci-kubernetes-unit

### Reason for failure (if possible)

> stacktrace=<
> 	goroutine 561 [running]:
> 	k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/runtime.logPanic({0x3a488b8, 0x4edba40}, {0x31ac240, 0x4e2c1d0})
> 		/home/prow/go/src/k8s.io/kubernetes/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/runtime/runtime.go:107 +0xe5
> 	k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/runtime.handleCrash({0x3a488b8, 0x4edba40}, {0x31ac240, 0x4e2c1d0}, {0x4edba40, 0x0, 0xc000c94da8?})
> 		/home/prow/go/src/k8s.io/kubernetes/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/runtime/runtime.go:82 +0xa2
> 	k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/runtime.HandleCrash({0x0, 0x0, 0x36477f0?})
> 		/home/prow/go/src/k8s.io/kubernetes/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/runtime/runtime.go:59 +0x18f
> 	panic({0x31ac240?, 0x4e2c1d0?})
> 		/usr/local/go/src/runtime/panic.go:770 +0x132
> 	k8s.io/client-go/tools/record.(*eventBroadcasterImpl).StartEventWatcher.func1()
> 		/home/prow/go/src/k8s.io/kubernetes/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/record/event.go:407 +0xbc
> 	created by k8s.io/client-go/tools/record.(*eventBroadcasterImpl).StartEventWatcher in goroutine 552
> 		/home/prow/go/src/k8s.io/kubernetes/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/record/event.go:400 +0x1b1
>  >
> panic: runtime error: invalid memory address or nil pointer dereference [recovered]
> 	panic: runtime error: invalid memory address or nil pointer dereference
> [signal SIGSEGV: segmentation violation code=0x1 addr=0x18 pc=0x223479c]
> 

### Anything else we need to know?

_No response_

### Relevant SIG(s)

_No response_
--- end body ---

The issue indicates a potential vulnerability related to a nil pointer dereference in the Kubernetes controller, which can lead to a panic and potentially allow for Denial of Service (DoS) conditions. This occurs when the code attempts to access a memory address that has not been initialized, resulting in a segmentation fault. The stack trace shows that the panic is triggered during event broadcasting, which could be exploited if an attacker can manipulate the event data.