Summary
Keras archive extraction utilities allow path traversal and arbitrary file writes
Keras versions prior to 3.14.0 are vulnerable to a path traversal issue in the archive extraction utilities located in keras/src/utils/file_utils.py. The functions filter_safe_tarinfos() and filter_safe_zipinfos() validate archive member paths against the process current working directory (CWD) instead of the actual extraction destination. When the process runs with CWD set to /, which is common in Docker containers, CI/CD runners, and Jupyter environments, the validation boundary becomes the filesystem root, allowing traversal paths to bypass the security check. Additionally, the zip filter contains a bug that causes an AttributeError when a blocked entry is encountered, leading to incomplete extraction. Furthermore, Python 3.11 installations lack the filter="data" safety net, leaving them entirely reliant on the flawed CWD-based filter. Exploitation of this vulnerability can result in arbitrary file writes outside the intended extraction directory, enabling attackers to overwrite configuration files, inject malicious code, or corrupt machine learning datasets and pipelines.
Impact
Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files. Typical impact: unauthorized file read or write outside the intended directory.
CVE-2026-11816 has a CVSS score of 8.1 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and user interaction required. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (3.14.0); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-11816? CVE-2026-11816 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in keras (pip), affecting versions < 3.14.0. It is fixed in 3.14.0. Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files.
- How severe is CVE-2026-11816? CVE-2026-11816 has a CVSS score of 8.1 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of keras are affected by CVE-2026-11816? keras (pip) versions < 3.14.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-11816? Yes. CVE-2026-11816 is fixed in 3.14.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-11816 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-11816 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2026-11816 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-11816? Upgrade
kerasto 3.14.0 or later.