Bug 2538150 (CVE-2026-53940)

Summary: CVE-2026-53940 conda: Conda: Arbitrary code execution via entry-point path traversal
Product: [Other] Security Response Reporter: OSIDB Bzimport <bzimport>
Component: vulnerabilityAssignee: Product Security DevOps Team <prodsec-dev>
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Priority: high    
Version: unspecifiedKeywords: Security
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Hardware: All   
OS: Linux   
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A flaw was found in Conda, a system-level binary package and environment manager. An unvalidated entry-point command in a `noarch:python` package's metadata allows a malicious package to use path traversal. This enables writing files outside the intended installation directory or overwriting existing entry points. Consequently, an attacker could execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the installing user.
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Bug Depends On: 2539328, 2539329    
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Description OSIDB Bzimport 2026-09-22 17:18:22 UTC 
Conda is a system-level binary package and environment manager that runs on major operating systems and platforms. Prior to 26.5.2, parse_entry_point_def in conda/common/path/python.py accepted an unvalidated entry-point command from a noarch:python package's info/link.json metadata. CreatePythonEntryPointAction in conda/core/path_actions.py interpolated that command into target_short_path, and PrefixPathAction.target_full_path joined it to the installation prefix without verifying that the result remained under the intended bin or Scripts directory. create_python_entry_point in conda/gateways/disk/create.py then wrote an executable wrapper to the resulting path. A malicious package could use path separators, traversal segments, or an absolute command path to write outside the prefix or overwrite another in-prefix entry point during default install and environment transactions. Out-of-prefix writes require the target parent directory to exist, while an overwritten entry point can execute attacker-controlled Python when later invoked with the installing user's privileges. This issue is fixed in version 26.5.2.