MLflow scorer feature lets attackers run Python code on the server
A flaw in MLflow lets someone send a crafted request that makes the server load and run their own Python code. If authentication is turned off, no password is needed.
| Severity | CriticalCVSS 9.8 of 10 |
|---|---|
| Being exploited? | UnclearNo reports either way yet |
| Fix available? | Yesmlflow 3.17.0 · since 27 Oct 2026 |
| How sure is this? | Official, 2 sourcesBacked by an official source |
How the attack works simplified
- 1Attacker sends requestsCalls MLflow experiment, run and artifact endpoints
- 2Uploads Python modulePlaces file under a writable scorer package
- 3Submits crafted scorerModule path passes the prefix-only check
- 4Server imports moduleAttacker class is constructed during deserialization
- ResultAttacker runs code on the MLflow server
What happened
MLflow 3.12.0rc0 through 3.16.x accepts request-selected module paths for third-party scorers that merely start with an allowed package name, so an attacker who can upload a file into a writable allowed scorer package gets it imported and instantiated during scorer deserialization via /ajax-api/3.0/mlflow/scorer/invoke.
Are you affected?
You are affected if you run MLflow from 3.12.0rc0 up to but not including 3.17.0 (pip package mlflow), especially with authentication disabled or with users who can create experiments and upload artifacts.
| Package / product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| mlflow · pip | >= 3.12.0rc0, < 3.17.0 | 3.17.0 |
What to do
- Upgrade the mlflow pip package to 3.17.0 or later.
- If you cannot upgrade right away, enable authentication and restrict who can create experiments and upload artifacts.
- Make the MLflow scorer package directories read-only for the server process.
- Review the server for unexpected uploaded Python files in run artifact directories.
Timeline
- 27 Oct 2026, 21:18 UTCPublicly disclosed
- 27 Oct 2026, 21:18 UTCReported by NVD · NVD
- 27 Oct 2026, 21:22 UTCPicked up by Zero Radar
- 27 Oct 2026, 21:27 UTCGitHub Advisory reported on it · GitHub Advisory
- 27 Oct 2026, 21:27 UTCFixed version published: mlflow 3.17.0 · GitHub Advisory
Sources 2 reports, oldest first
Official vendor, government CERT or advisory database
- CVE-2026-116692NVD · 27 Oct 2026, 21:18 UTC
- MLflow vulnerable to remote code execution on unauthenticated servers via third-party scorer deserialization importing caller-placed artifact modulesGitHub Advisory · 27 Oct 2026, 21:26 UTC
Technical details
- ID
- CVE-2026-116692 · GHSA-26p8-2jq9-3vq9
- CVSS
- 9.8 / 10
- EPSS
- 0.7% chance of exploitation within 30 days
- Disclosed
- 27 Oct 2026, 21:18 UTC
- On Zero Radar
- 27 Oct 2026, 21:22 UTC (4 min after disclosure)
- Last change
- 27 Oct 2026, 21:27 UTC
The plain-language parts and the attack diagram were written by an AI model (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5) from the sources above. Facts like versions, exploitation and dates come from the sources themselves. How Zero Radar works