sentence-transformers local model loading bypasses trust_remote_code and executes custom Python
🔗 CVE IDs covered (1)
📋 Description
sentence-transformers contains a security control bypass vulnerability that allows attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution by exploiting a logic flaw in the import_module_class helper within sentence_transformers/util/misc.py, where the guard condition includes an 'or os.path.exists(model_name_or_path)' clause that satisfies the trust gate whenever the supplied path exists on the local filesystem, regardless of the trust_remote_code=False argument. Attackers who can control or influence the contents of a model directory on disk can place malicious Python files such as modeling_*.py referenced via modules.json, causing the code to execute at import time when an application loads the model with SentenceTransformer(path, trust_remote_code=False), bypassing the documented security contract and achieving code execution within the loading process.
🎯 Affected products1
- pip/sentence-transformers:< 5.6.0
🔗 References (11)
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-68770
- https://github.com/huggingface/sentence-transformers/issues/3801
- https://github.com/huggingface/sentence-transformers/pull/3807
- https://github.com/huggingface/sentence-transformers/commit/ae1acc3fb2aa2004577b297eb4a915ce7a03316a
- https://github.com/huggingface/sentence-transformers
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/sentence-transformers-arbitrary-code-execution-on-local-model-load-despite-trust-remote-code-false
- https://github.com/huggingface/sentence-transformers/pull/3935
- https://github.com/huggingface/sentence-transformers/commit/626eb602b088878a8173bcab69225f68411b99e1
- https://github.com/huggingface/sentence-transformers/releases/tag/v5.6.0
- https://github.com/huggingface/sentence-transformers/releases/tag/v6.0.0
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-jhr6-gm9c-rqjv