Code execution via unsafe checkpoint deserialization
Published Dec 9, 2025 · Updated Dec 9, 2025
Unsafe deserialization in NVIDIA Merlin Transformers4Rec on Linux allows remote attackers to execute code through a malicious model checkpoint. The Trainer checkpoint loader passes model weights and random-state files to torch.load instead of the restricted loader, allowing pickle payloads to run. Execution requires a user or application to load the attacker-supplied checkpoint; successful exploitation runs code in that process and can expose, alter, or interrupt its data and service.
Summary
What happened
Unsafe deserialization in NVIDIA Merlin Transformers4Rec on Linux allows remote attackers to execute code through a malicious model checkpoint. The Trainer checkpoint loader passes model weights and random-state files to torch.load instead of the restricted loader, allowing pickle payloads to run. Execution requires a user or application to load the attacker-supplied checkpoint; successful exploitation runs code in that process and can expose, alter, or interrupt its data and service.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-33213
- Published
- Dec 9, 2025
- Updated
- Dec 9, 2025
- Vendor
- DPDK Project
- Product
- Merlin Transformers4Rec
- Classifications
- CWE-502, CAPEC-586, T1204.002
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 9, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Dec 9, 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?
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- Affected versionversion=All versions that do not include commit 876f19e
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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