CVE-2026-86169Network attack vector

Remote code execution via unchecked multipack model loading

Published Sep 5, 2026 · Updated Sep 8, 2026

Code execution in Axolotl 0 through 0.18.0 allows remote attackers to run arbitrary Python via a malicious Hugging Face model repository. The _apply_multipack_patches method leaves a detected remote-code condition enabled when trust_remote_code is unset, and patch_remote passes trust_remote_code=True to AutoModelForCausalLM.from_pretrained. Exploitation requires a user to select the attacker-controlled repository as base_model; its Python executes with the training process's permissions.

CVSS severity8.7
High
EPSS probability0.49%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Code execution in Axolotl 0 through 0.18.0 allows remote attackers to run arbitrary Python via a malicious Hugging Face model repository. The _apply_multipack_patches method leaves a detected remote-code condition enabled when trust_remote_code is unset, and patch_remote passes trust_remote_code=True to AutoModelForCausalLM.from_pretrained. Exploitation requires a user to select the attacker-controlled repository as base_model; its Python executes with the training process's permissions.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-86169
Published
Sep 5, 2026
Updated
Sep 8, 2026
Vendor
Axolotl AI
Product
Axolotl
Classifications
CWE-829, T1204.002
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 5, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 8, 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 <=0.18.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Axolotl AI · Axolotlversion=0 <=0.18.0

Published CVSS scores

8.8VulnCheckCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.7VulnCheckCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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-829Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere
T1204.002User Execution: Malicious File

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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