django-haystack: Remote Code Execution via eval() in Elasticsearch Result Deserialization

Exploitation

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

CVSS 4.0

8.7 · CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N · score source

EPSS

• CVE-2026-105315: 0.25% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 17.10 (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.

Remote Code Execution via eval() in Elasticsearch Result Deserialization Summary The Elasticsearch backend in django-haystack calls eval() on raw field values returned from Elasticsearch when a SearchField is declared with an indexfieldname alias that differs from the logical field name. During result processing, the backend looks up fields by logical name but Elasticsearch stores them under the alias key; the lookup fails and the value falls through to topython() → eval(). An attacker who can control content that is indexed into Elasticsearch—and can trigger or wait for a search that returns it—achieves arbitrary code execution in the Django application process. CVSS 3.1 Base Score: 8.5 (High). Details Sink — haystack/backends/elasticsearchbackend.py:865: topython() (line ~850) attempts to parse a string value by calling eval() before performing any type-safety check. If the value is an attacker-controlled Python expression such as import('os').system(...), the expression is…

Published by the source

15 Jul 2026, 22:42 UTC

Last modified by the source

6 Oct 2026, 02:56 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 13:46 UTC

1. Revision 3 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-r3hx-x5rh-p9vv

2. Revision 2 · amended · 25 Oct 2026

   Reviewed OSV alias/range/CVSS4 correction; package source scopes and original publication preserved. No customer finding resolved.

3. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-r3hx-x5rh-p9vv

Preview the exact text before you copy it. Commands are read-only suggestions; review them before running anything.

# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-105315

Advisory: django-haystack: Remote Code Execution via `eval()` in Elasticsearch Result Deserialization
IDs: CVE-2026-105315, GHSA-r3hx-x5rh-p9vv
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-105315 (revision 3, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 13:46 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 8.7)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: django-haystack 3.4.0. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- PyPI django-haystack: affected < 3.4.0; fixed in 3.4.0

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `python -m pip show django-haystack`: 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 django-haystack.
- 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-r3hx-x5rh-p9vv (OSV record GHSA-r3hx-x5rh-p9vv lists affected ranges: PyPI django-haystack >=0 <3.4.0 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-r3hx-x5rh-p9vv (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-r3hx-x5rh-p9vv lists affected ranges: PyPI django-haystack >=0 <3.4.0)

Commands are suggestions: review each one before running it.