PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief
CVE-2026-2635 MLflow CVE debrief
CVE-2026-2635 is a high-severity vulnerability in MLflow, a popular open-source platform for managing the end-to-end machine learning lifecycle. The vulnerability, with a CVSS score of 7.3, allows remote attackers to bypass authentication on affected installations of MLflow. The flaw exists within the basic_auth.ini file, which contains hard-coded default credentials. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to bypass authentication and execute arbitrary code in the context of the administrator. This vulnerability was reported by the Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) and has been publicly disclosed.
- Vendor
- MLflow
- Product
- Unknown
- CVSS
- HIGH 7.3
- CISA KEV
- Not listed in stored evidence
- Original CVE published
- 2026-02-20
- Original CVE updated
- 2026-07-15
- Advisory published
- 2026-02-20
- Advisory updated
- 2026-07-15
Who should care
Organizations using MLflow should prioritize patching this vulnerability to prevent potential attacks. The vulnerability's high severity and ease of exploitation make it a critical concern for MLflow users. Additionally, security teams and administrators responsible for managing MLflow installations should be aware of this vulnerability and take immediate action to mitigate the risk.
Technical summary
The vulnerability exists in the basic_auth.ini file of MLflow, which contains hard-coded default credentials. This allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and execute arbitrary code as an administrator. The CVSS vector for this vulnerability is CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L, indicating a high severity. The weakness associated with this vulnerability is CWE-1393, and a secondary weakness is CWE-798.
Defensive priority
This vulnerability has a high defensive priority due to its severity and ease of exploitation. Organizations should prioritize patching this vulnerability to prevent potential attacks.
Recommended defensive actions
- Apply the official patch or update MLflow to a version that addresses this vulnerability.
- Review and update the basic_auth.ini file to remove any hard-coded default credentials.
- Implement additional security measures, such as multi-factor authentication, to enhance the security of MLflow installations.
- Monitor MLflow installations for any suspicious activity and ensure that the latest security updates are applied.
- Consider implementing compensating controls, such as network segmentation or access controls, to limit the impact of a potential attack.
Evidence notes
The CVE-2026-2635 vulnerability was reported by the Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) and has been publicly disclosed. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 7.3 and is considered high-severity. The NVD and CVE.org provide additional information about this vulnerability.
Sources and references
Verified primary and authoritative sources
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CVE-2026-2635 CVE Program record
Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified
URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-2635
CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.
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CVE-2026-2635 NVD vulnerability detail
Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified
URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-2635
NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.
Supplemental references
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Source reference
Unverified legacy reference
URL: https://github.com/mlflow/mlflow/pull/19260
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Source reference
Unverified legacy reference
URL: https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-26-111/
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Source reference
Unverified legacy reference
URL: https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-2635
0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c
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Source reference
Unverified legacy reference
URL: https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-2635.json
0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c
Methodology and review provenance
AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.