pymatgen vulnerable to arbitrary code execution when parsing a maliciously crafted JonesFaithfulTransformation transformation_string

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

9.3 · CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS

• CVE-2024-23346: 3.85% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 90.15 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary A critical security vulnerability exists in the JonesFaithfulTransformation.fromtransformationstr() method within the pymatgen library. This method insecurely utilizes eval() for processing input, enabling execution of arbitrary code when parsing untrusted input. This can be exploited when parsing a maliciously-created CIF file. Details The cause of the vulnerability is in pymatgen/symmetry/settings.py#L97C1-L111C108. The flawed code segment involves a regular expression operation followed by the use of eval(). Vulnerable code The use of eval, even with builtins set to None, is still a security risk. The BuiltinImporter class can be recovered with subclass traversal. PoC The vulnerability can be exploited as follows: Create a file vuln.cif with the following contents: Then, parse the cif file with the following code: Credits This vulnerability was found and disclosed by William Khem-Marquez.

Published by the source

21 Feb 2024, 18:04 UTC

Last modified by the source

10 Jun 2026, 17:14 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 13:37 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-vgv8-5cpj-qj2f

2. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-vgv8-5cpj-qj2f

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2024-23346

Advisory: pymatgen vulnerable to arbitrary code execution when parsing a maliciously crafted JonesFaithfulTransformation transformation_string
IDs: CVE-2024-23346, GHSA-vgv8-5cpj-qj2f
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2024-23346 (revision 2, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 13:37 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.3)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: pymatgen 2024.2.20. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- PyPI pymatgen: affected < 2024.2.20; fixed in 2024.2.20

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `python -m pip show pymatgen`: prints the installed version. Run with the environment that serves production active.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on pymatgen.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-vgv8-5cpj-qj2f (OSV record GHSA-vgv8-5cpj-qj2f lists affected ranges: PyPI pymatgen >=0 <2024.2.20 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-vgv8-5cpj-qj2f (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-vgv8-5cpj-qj2f lists affected ranges: PyPI pymatgen >=0 <2024.2.20)

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