high CVSS 7.1

CVE-2026-24049·Python vulnerability

wheel is a command line tool for manipulating Python wheel files, as defined in PEP 427. In versions 0.40.0 through 0.46.1, the unpack function is vulnerable to file permission modification through mishandling of file permissions after extraction. The logic blindly trusts the filename from the archive header for the chmod operation, even though the extraction process itself might have sanitized the path. Attackers can craft a malicious wheel file that, when unpacked, changes the permissions of critical system files (e.g., /etc/passwd, SSH keys, config files), allowing for Privilege Escalation or arbitrary code execution by modifying now-writable scripts. This issue has been fixed in version 0.46.2.

Severity
high
Software
Python
Fixed in
0.46.2
Published
2026-01-22

Affected versions

From: 0.40.0

Until: 0.46.2

Fixed in: 0.46.2

How to fix this CVE

Upgrade the wheel package to version 0.46.2 or later to fix a file permission handling vulnerability in the unpack function. This vulnerability allows attackers to modify permissions on extracted files, potentially leading to privilege escalation. Apply the update immediately across all Python environments that use wheel for package manipulation.

sudo dnf update python3-wheel

Defensia detects this vulnerability

How to check if you are affected

  1. Check the installed wheel package version: python3 -m pip show wheel | grep Version
  2. Verify if wheel is available in your Python environment: python3 -c "import wheel; print(wheel.__version__)"
  3. Search for wheel usage in your codebase: grep -r "from wheel" . && grep -r "import wheel" .
  4. Confirm the patched version is installed: python3 -m pip show wheel | grep -E 'Version: 0.46.2|0.47|0.48'

FAQ

What is CVE-2026-24049?

CVE-2026-24049 is a file permission vulnerability in the wheel package (versions 0.40.0–0.46.1) where the unpack function incorrectly applies file permissions from untrusted archive headers, allowing attackers to make critical files writable and execute arbitrary code.

Is CVE-2026-24049 being actively exploited?

No, this vulnerability is not listed on the CISA KEV catalog and has no publicly available exploits as of now, but it should still be prioritized due to its high CVSS score of 7.1.

What versions of Python are affected by CVE-2026-24049?

The wheel package versions 0.40.0 through 0.46.1 are affected. The fix is available in wheel 0.46.2 and later releases.

How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2026-24049?

Run 'python3 -m pip show wheel' and check the version number. If it is between 0.40.0 and 0.46.1 (inclusive), your system is vulnerable.

Does Defensia detect CVE-2026-24049?

Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If wheel is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2026-24049 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.

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References

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