CVE-2026-41486

Ray Data registers custom Arrow extension types (ray.data.arrow_tensor, ray.data.arrow_tensor_v2, ray.data.arrow_variable_shaped_tensor) globally in PyArrow. When PyArrow reads a Parquet file containing one of these extension types, it calls __arrow_ext_deserialize__ on the field's metadata bytes. Ray's implementation passes these bytes directly to cloudpickle.loads(), achieving arbitrary code execution during schema parsing, before any row data is read.

In May 2024, Ray fixed a related vulnerability in PyExtensionType-based extension types (issue #41314, PR #45084). In July 2025, PR #54831 introduced cloudpickle.loads() into the replacement extension types' deserialization path, reintroducing the same class of vulnerability.

• Affected versions: Ray 2.49.0 through 2.54.0 (latest release as of March 2026). The vulnerable _deserialize_with_fallback function with cloudpickle.loads() was introduced in commit f6d21db1a4 (PR #54831, July 2025), first released in Ray 2.49.0.
• Affected configurations: Any process that uses Ray Data and reads Parquet files. The extension types are registered globally in PyArrow, so all Parquet reads in the process are affected, including ray.data.read_parquet(), pyarrow.parquet.read_table(), pandas.read_parquet(), etc.
• Attacker prerequisites: The attacker must place a crafted Parquet file where a Ray Data pipeline reads it. No authentication or cluster access is required. The Parquet file must contain a column with a ray.data.arrow_tensor (or v2, or variable-shaped) extension type name, which makes this a targeted attack against Ray Data users.

Untrusted input is evaluated as executable code within the application's runtime environment. Typical impact: arbitrary code execution within the application's privilege context.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2026-41486? CVE-2026-41486 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in ray (pip), affecting versions >= 2.49.0, < 2.55.0. It is fixed in 2.55.0. Untrusted input is evaluated as executable code within the application's runtime environment.
2. Which versions of ray are affected by CVE-2026-41486? ray (pip) versions >= 2.49.0, < 2.55.0 is affected.
3. Is there a fix for CVE-2026-41486? Yes. CVE-2026-41486 is fixed in 2.55.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
4. Is CVE-2026-41486 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-41486 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
5. What actually determines whether CVE-2026-41486 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.
6. How do I fix CVE-2026-41486? Upgrade ray to 2.55.0 or later.