# CVE-2026-5271: Possible to hijack modules in current working directory

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code by placing malicious modules in the current working directory when users run pymanager commands.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.6 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **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:** No
- **Published:** 1 Apr 2026
- **Updated:** 1 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jr5x-hgm4-rrm6

## What is CVE-2026-5271?

CVE-2026-5271 is a medium-severity code injection vulnerability in Python Software Foundation pymanager, published on 1 Apr 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

pymanager included the current working directory in sys.path meaning modules could be shadowed by modules in the current working directory. As a result, if a user executes a pymanager-generated command (e.g., pip, pytest)
 from an attacker-controlled directory, a malicious module in that 
directory can be imported and executed instead of the intended package.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-5271?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Python Pymanager.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-5271?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-5271 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-5271 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-5271 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-5271 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-5271 is a medium-severity code injection vulnerability in Python Software Foundation pymanager, published on 1 Apr 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: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-5271 exists.

Affected product: Python Software Foundation pymanager. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2026-5271/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-5271/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-5271
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-5271
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-5271

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-5271/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.