# CVE-2026-106442: Hydra instantiate target blacklist bypasses permit code execution

> Attackers can bypass security blacklists in Hydra to execute arbitrary code via crafted configuration targets, requiring an upgrade to patched versions.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 6 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 7 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-rqx7-p7vv-w7hr, PYSEC-2026-4223

## What is CVE-2026-106442?

CVE-2026-106442 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in hydra-ecosystem hydra, published on 6 Oct 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Hydra is a framework for elegantly configuring complex applications. From 1.3.4 until 1.3.6 and 1.4.0.dev9, the instantiate() target blacklist introduced for CVE-2026-68508 incompletely checks the effective callable selected by the target field. Execution wrappers such as timeit.timeit, executable deserialization through pickle.loads, aliases, callable-returning helpers, generic dispatch, and deferred calls can obscure or defer the effective target and bypass name-based authorization. An attacker who causes an application to instantiate untrusted Hydra configuration can use these gaps to execute code with the application's privileges. This issue is fixed in versions 1.3.6 and 1.4.0.dev9.

Weakness: CWE-184 (Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-106442?

5 open source packages ship an affected version, including hydra-core.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `hydra-core` | PyPI | From 1.3.4 | 1.3.6, 1.4.0.dev9 |
| `hydra-core` | PyPI | From 1.3.4 | 1.3.6 |
| `hydra-core` | PyPI | From 1.3.4 | 1.3.6 |
| `hydra-core` | PyPI | From 1.4.0.dev0 | 1.4.0.dev9 |
| `hydra-core` | PyPI | From 1.4.0.dev0 | 1.4.0.dev9 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-106442?

Upgrade hydra-core to a fixed version for your release line: 1.3.6 or 1.4.0.dev9.

## Is CVE-2026-106442 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-106442 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-106442 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-106442 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in hydra-ecosystem hydra, published on 6 Oct 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-106442 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- hydra-core (PyPI): affected from 1.3.4; fixed in 1.3.6, 1.4.0.dev9
- hydra-core (PyPI): affected from 1.3.4; fixed in 1.3.6
- hydra-core (PyPI): affected from 1.3.4; fixed in 1.3.6
- hydra-core (PyPI): affected from 1.4.0.dev0; fixed in 1.4.0.dev9
- hydra-core (PyPI): affected from 1.4.0.dev0; fixed in 1.4.0.dev9

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-106442/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-106442/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-106442
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-106442
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-106442

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-106442/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.