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CVE Record

CVE-2026-2492: TensorFlow HDF5 Library Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

TensorFlow HDF5 Library Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of TensorFlow. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the handling of plugins. The application loads plugins from an unsecured location. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of a target user. Was ZDI-CAN-25480.

HighCVSS 7.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2026-2492 is a local privilege escalation issue in TensorFlow 2.17.0 involving HDF5 plugin loading. A user who already has low-privileged code execution on a machine may cause TensorFlow to load code from an unsafe location, gaining the privileges of another target user.

Executive priority

Prioritize remediation on shared or production ML systems because this can turn existing local access into higher-privileged code execution. It is less urgent for isolated single-user environments, but still warrants normal high-severity patch handling.

Technical view

The flaw is CWE-427: uncontrolled search path element. TensorFlow’s HDF5 plugin handling can load plugins from an unsecured location. The CVSS 3.1 score is 7.8 with local attack vector, low complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most relevant on systems running TensorFlow 2.17.0 where local users, jobs, notebooks, or services can execute code and TensorFlow/HDF5 plugin loading is reachable. Shared ML workstations, CI runners, research clusters, and multi-user servers deserve priority review.

Exploitation context

The provided sources do not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. Exploitation requires prior low-privileged local code execution. The issue is serious because it can convert limited local access into arbitrary code execution as a more privileged target user.

Researcher notes

The public bundle identifies TensorFlow 2.17.0, CWE-427, ZDI-CAN-25480, and a TensorFlow commit, but does not provide exploit details, broad version ranges, or a clear fixed release in the supplied text. Avoid assuming exposure beyond the cited product and version.

Mitigation direction

  • Inventory systems and environments running TensorFlow 2.17.0.
  • Apply TensorFlow or distribution updates referenced by vendor guidance.
  • Review Red Hat errata applicability for packaged TensorFlow deployments.
  • Restrict untrusted local code execution on shared ML systems.
  • Harden permissions around plugin-related writable locations.
  • Monitor vendor advisories for exact fixed-version guidance.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm TensorFlow versions in hosts, containers, notebooks, and CI images.
  • Identify shared systems where low-privileged users can run TensorFlow workloads.
  • Review whether HDF5 plugin loading is enabled or reachable.
  • Check local write permissions around plugin-related directories.
  • Verify vendor fixes or downstream errata are installed.
  • Document systems where source evidence is insufficient or not applicable.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
8

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-427: Exact CWE lookup

Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.

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description · low confidence lookup

Execution behavior lookup

The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
description · low confidence lookup

Privilege behavior lookup

The CVE wording references privilege impact, so privilege escalation and authorization behavior review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2026-2492 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.8 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

2CVSS vectors
5Timeline events
2ADP providers
7Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: total

CVSS vector scores

2 official scores

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.8CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9redhat-SADP
7CVSS 3.0HighCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H15.9zdi

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.8High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2026-2492Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. ADP timelineredhat-SADP

    Made public.

  3. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  4. ADP timelineredhat-SADP

    Reported to Red Hat.

  5. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
redhat-SADPtensorflow: TensorFlow: Local privilege escalation via uncontrolled search path for plugins
other:Red Hat severity ratingcvssV3_1
  • 2026-02-20T23:01:06.860Z: Reported to Red Hat.
  • 2026-02-20T22:22:54.392Z: Made public.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
TensorFlowTensorFlow2.17.0unknown
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-427

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.

CWE-427 · source CWE mapping

Uncontrolled Search Path Element

Uncontrolled Search Path Element represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.

Open CWE intelligenceSame-CWE CVEs