CVE-2026-53940Conda: Entry-point path traversal in noarch:python install (arbitrary file write) — canonical Python implementation

Official description

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.

Affected products (as reported)

References

• https://github.com/conda/conda/security/advisories/GHSA-9m8m-c4j3-rj2c x_refsource_CONFIRM
• https://github.com/conda/conda/pull/16168 x_refsource_MISC
• https://github.com/conda/conda/commit/3987c86ccd5527177e96b48bd4dc1777dd2c9baa x_refsource_MISC
• https://github.com/conda/conda/releases/tag/26.5.2 x_refsource_MISC