CVE-2026-61667: DIRAC is vulnerable to RCE in FileCatalog DatasetManager via SQL injection + eval

Should you act?

Critical, preconditions apply

Severe if exploited, but exploitation needs conditions that may not apply to you. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.

• No confirmed exploitation. It is not in CISA’s KEV catalog and CISA’s SSVC assessment records no known exploitation. That can change quickly after a public write-up; re-check if you are affected.
• EPSS 1.2%, percentile 68: FIRST’s model estimates a 1.2% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 68% of all scored CVEs (moderate). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
• Needs an account (low (any account)). Exposure depends on who can log in.
• Only applies if your dependency tree includes DIRAC (PyPI) >= 6, < 8.0.79, fixed in 8.0.79; DIRAC (PyPI) >= 8.1.0a1, < 9.0.22, fixed in 9.0.22; DIRAC (PyPI) >= 9.1.0, < 9.1.10, fixed in 9.1.10. Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

What it is

DIRAC is an interware, meaning a software framework for distributed computing. Prior to versions 8.0.79, 9.0.22, and 9.1.10, DataManagementSystem/Service/FileCatalogHandler.py checkDataset forwards an authenticated caller-controlled datasets value to DatasetManager.py checkDataset, where datasetName is interpolated into an FCMetaDatasets SQL query without parameterization. The injected query can control the returned MetaQuery value, which is passed to Python eval and permits command execution as the account running the DIRAC services. Successful exploitation can expose dirac.cfg, database passwords, stored proxies, and tokens, fully compromise the DIRAC system, and allow alteration of local log evidence. This issue is fixed in versions 8.0.79, 9.0.22, and 9.1.10.

From the GitHub advisory

Summary The FileCatalog DatasetManager runs a query on the database and passes the result to eval. The SQL query contains an injection vulnerability which allows an authenticated user to control the parameter returned to the eval resulting in remote code execution.

Details

The FileCatalog checkDataset function passes its datasets argument directly to the backend DB handler: https://github.com/DIRACGrid/DIRAC/blob/f7e0a3ac153315030fb3520e8ca747f013758967/src/DIRAC/DataManagementSystem/Service/FileCatalogHandler.py#L591-L593

Which in turn passes it to the checkDataset function: https://github.com/DIRACGrid/DIRAC/blob/f7e0a3ac153315030fb3520e8ca747f013758967/src/DIRAC/DataManagementSystem/DB/FileCatalogComponents/DatasetManager/DatasetManager.py#L390

This uses an f-string to create a query without escaping, resulting in an SQL injection: https://github.com/DIRACGrid/DIRAC/blob/f7e0a3ac153315030fb3520e8ca747f013758967/src/DIRAC/DataManagementSystem/DB/FileCatalogComponents/DatasetManager/DatasetManager.py#L400-L402

Weakness type: CWE-89, CWE-95.

Product: DIRAC (PyPI) · Assigned by: GitHub_M · Published: 2026-09-15

Affected and fixed versions

Severity scores

• Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
• Attack complexity: low
• Privileges required: low (any account)
• User interaction: none
• Scope: changed (can affect other components)

CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.

Exploitation and urgency

• CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
• CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation none, automatable no, technical impact total.
• FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 1.21% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 68.

Timeline

• 2026-07-13 — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-m4m7-4cw8-62j6 published (critical)
• 2026-09-15 — CVE record last updated
• 2026-09-15 — CVE record published by GitHub_M

Sources and references

Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.

Vulnerability records

1. GitHub Advisory GHSA-m4m7-4cw8-62j6 github.com
2. CVE.org record CVE-2026-61667 cve.org
3. NVD entry CVE-2026-61667 nvd.nist.gov

Other references from the CVE record and advisory

1. github.com github.com
2. github.com github.com
3. github.com github.com
4. github.com github.com
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7. github.com github.com
8. github.com github.com
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10. github.com github.com
11. pypi.org pypi.org
12. pypi.org pypi.org
13. pypi.org pypi.org

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