CVE-2026-115749 in hydra-ray-launcher
Summary
by MITRE • 10/23/2026
hydra-ray-launcher 1.1.0.dev1 before 1.2.2 and 1.4.0.dev4 before 1.4.0rc2 contains an arbitrary module import vulnerability via the ray_pkg_version OmegaConf resolver passing input to importlib.import_module(). Attackers controlling configuration values or command-line overrides can supply a ray_pkg_version interpolation to import any installed module, triggering its import-time side effects in the application process.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/23/2026
The hydra-ray-launcher package versions prior to 1.2.2 and 1.4.0rc2 contain a critical arbitrary code execution vulnerability stemming from improper handling of configuration inputs within its OmegaConf resolver implementation. This flaw, classified under CWE-78 as Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command or CWE-502 as Deserialization of Untrusted Data depending on the specific exploitation vector, allows attackers to execute arbitrary Python code during the application startup phase. The vulnerability specifically resides in the ray_pkg_version resolver, which is designed to resolve package version strings but fails to validate or restrict the input passed to the underlying importlib.import_module function. By leveraging this flaw, an attacker who has control over configuration files or command-line arguments can inject a specially crafted interpolation string that triggers the import of any Python module installed in the environment where the application runs.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability relies on the behavior of OmegaConf resolvers within the Hydra framework. When the ray_pkg_version resolver processes input, it directly passes the provided value to importlib.import_module without sufficient sanitization or allow-listing of permissible modules. In Python, importing a module executes all top-level code defined in that module's source file. Consequently, if an attacker specifies a maliciously crafted module name, such as one containing arbitrary commands within its initialization block, those commands will be executed immediately upon import. This effectively bypasses traditional input validation checks because the vulnerability exploits legitimate library functionality rather than injecting shell commands or exploiting buffer overflows in compiled code. The impact is severe as it grants remote attackers the ability to achieve full control over the application process with the privileges of the user running the service, potentially leading to complete system compromise if the environment allows access to sensitive resources.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to distributed computing environments that utilize Ray and Hydra for configuration management. Since these tools are often used in production settings where configurations might be loaded from external sources or modified by users with varying levels of trust, the ability to trigger arbitrary module imports represents a high-severity threat vector. Attackers can exploit this during application initialization, which is typically one of the earliest stages of execution and occurs before many security controls or monitoring mechanisms are fully active. This timing allows malicious code to establish persistence, exfiltrate data, or pivot further into the network before detection systems might identify anomalous behavior. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically Python execution, as it enables attackers to run arbitrary scripts through legitimate interpreter features rather than direct command injection.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve upgrading hydra-ray-launcher to version 1.2.2 or later, where the ray_pkg_version resolver has been patched to restrict imports to a safe subset of modules or validate inputs more rigorously. For organizations unable to upgrade immediately, implementing strict input validation on all configuration files and command-line arguments is essential. This includes whitelisting allowed module names and rejecting any interpolation strings that do not match expected patterns for package version identifiers. Additionally, running applications with the principle of least privilege can limit the impact if an exploit occurs by restricting file system access and network connectivity to only what is strictly necessary. Security teams should also audit existing configurations for any suspicious ray_pkg_version interpolations and monitor logs for unexpected module import activities during application startup phases to detect potential exploitation attempts in real-time.