CVE-2025-2000Network attack vector

Code execution via malicious QPY deserialization

Published Mar 14, 2025 · Updated Feb 26, 2026

QPY deserialization in IBM Qiskit SDK 0.18.0 through 1.4.1 allows attackers to execute arbitrary Python code from crafted files. The qiskit.qpy.load() entry point decodes attacker-controlled executable content embedded in QPY format versions below 13 instead of treating it solely as data. Exploitation requires a process to load an attacker-supplied QPY file, after which the payload runs with that process's privileges.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.81%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

QPY deserialization in IBM Qiskit SDK 0.18.0 through 1.4.1 allows attackers to execute arbitrary Python code from crafted files. The qiskit.qpy.load() entry point decodes attacker-controlled executable content embedded in QPY format versions below 13 instead of treating it solely as data. Exploitation requires a process to load an attacker-supplied QPY file, after which the payload runs with that process's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-2000
Published
Mar 14, 2025
Updated
Feb 26, 2026
Vendor
IBM
Product
Qiskit SDK
Classifications
CWE-502, T1059.006
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 14, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 26, 2026Record 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=0.18.0 <=1.4.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · Qiskit SDKversion=0.18.0 <=1.4.1

Published CVSS scores

9.8IBMCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 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
T1059.006Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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