Summary
[!NOTE]
If server-side LaTeX rendering is not in use (ie XELATEX_PATH was not set in indico.conf), this vulnerability does not apply.
Workarounds
Remove the XELATEX_PATH setting from indico.conf (or comment it out or set it to None) and restart the indico-uwsgi and indico-celery services to disable LaTeX functionality.
For more information
For any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Open a thread in the forum
- Send an email to [email protected]
Impact
Due to vulnerabilities in TeXLive and obscure LaTeX syntax that allowed circumventing Indico's LaTeX sanitizer, it is possible to use specially-crafted LaTeX snippets which can read local files or execute code with the privileges of the user running Indico on the server.
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.
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.
Remediation advice
It is recommended to update to Indico 3.3.12 as soon as possible.
See the docs for instructions on how to update.
It is also strongly recommended to enable the containerized LaTeX renderer (using podman), which isolates it from the rest of the system. See the docs for details - it is very easy and from now on the only recommended/supported way of using LaTeX.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-33046? CVE-2026-33046 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in indico (pip), affecting versions < 3.3.12. It is fixed in 3.3.12. Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files.
- Which versions of indico are affected by CVE-2026-33046? indico (pip) versions < 3.3.12 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-33046? Yes. CVE-2026-33046 is fixed in 3.3.12. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-33046 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-33046 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-2026-33046 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-2026-33046? Upgrade
indicoto 3.3.12 or later.