CVE-2025-1403Network attack vector

Process crash via malformed SymEngine deserialization

Published Feb 21, 2025 · Updated Aug 26, 2025

Deserialization of untrusted data in IBM Qiskit SDK 0.45.0 through 1.2.4 allows remote attackers to crash a hosting process via a QPY file. The QPY loader passes a malformed SymEngine serialization stream embedded in a ParameterExpression object to SymEngine, which segfaults instead of rejecting it. Exploitation requires an application to load an attacker-supplied QPY payload; the result is termination of that process, with no reported data disclosure or modification.

CVSS severity8.6
High
EPSS probability0.72%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Deserialization of untrusted data in IBM Qiskit SDK 0.45.0 through 1.2.4 allows remote attackers to crash a hosting process via a QPY file. The QPY loader passes a malformed SymEngine serialization stream embedded in a ParameterExpression object to SymEngine, which segfaults instead of rejecting it. Exploitation requires an application to load an attacker-supplied QPY payload; the result is termination of that process, with no reported data disclosure or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-1403
Published
Feb 21, 2025
Updated
Aug 26, 2025
Vendor
IBM
Product
Qiskit SDK
Classifications
CWE-502, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 21, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 26, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0.45.0 <=1.2.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · Qiskit SDKversion=0.45.0 <=1.2.4

Published CVSS scores

8.6CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
8.6IBMCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-502Deserialization of Untrusted Data
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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