CVE-2024-11394
RCE in Huggingface Transformers ≤ 4.48.0
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HSummary
CVE-2024-11394 is a high-severity Deserialization of Untrusted Data (CWE-502) vulnerability in Huggingface Transformers. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 17% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
This vulnerability is AI-related — categorised as NLP and Transformers; in the Supply Chain and Deployment risk domain.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SA-11 (Developer Testing and Evaluation) and SI-10 (Information Input Validation) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CVE-2024-11394 is a remote code execution vulnerability in Hugging Face Transformers stemming from unsafe deserialization of untrusted data when processing Trax model files. The flaw, tracked as ZDI-CAN-25012 and assigned CWE-502, arises from insufficient validation of user-supplied model data, enabling arbitrary code execution on affected installations. It carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.8.
Remote attackers can exploit the issue by supplying a malicious model file or hosting a malicious page that the target must open or visit, resulting in code execution under the privileges of the current user. No authentication is required beyond this user interaction.
The Zero Day Initiative advisory ZDI-24-1515 addresses the vulnerability and is the primary public reference for affected versions and remediation guidance.
The affected component is part of the Hugging Face Transformers library used in machine-learning workflows. The EPSS score has reached 0.6505 without a documented rise from a lower baseline.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2024-34103
Vulnerability Data
Hugging Face Transformers Trax Model Deserialization of Untrusted Data Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Hugging Face Transformers. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the…
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target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file. The specific flaw exists within the handling of model files. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in deserialization of untrusted data. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current user. Was ZDI-CAN-25012.
- CWE(s)
AI Security AnalysisAI
- AI Category
- NLP and Transformers
- Risk Domain
- Supply Chain and Deployment
- OWASP Top 10 for LLMs 2025
- None mapped
- Classification Reason
- Hugging Face Transformers is a library for NLP and Transformer models, and the vulnerability specifically affects deserialization of Trax model files within it.
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
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Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Developer testing and evaluation can uncover deserialization flaws before deployment.
Input validation directly stops deserialization of untrusted data by ensuring inputs are valid before processing.
Engineering principles such as safe deserialization and input sanitization structurally prevent the weakness from being introduced.
Integrity verification tools can detect malformed or tampered serialized data after the fact.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
PR.PS-02 addresses only post-deployment updates/patching and cannot prevent introduction of unsafe deserialization code, yet it can remediate some instances when the flaw exists in outdated libraries or components.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Security testing includes validation of deserialization routines and the use of untrusted data, reducing the likelihood that unsafe object reconstruction will be deployed.
Requiring vetted libraries, regular updates and SAST before release reduces the likelihood that deserialization logic will accept and act on attacker-controlled serialized objects.
Regular scanning of third-party libraries and timely patching reduce the likelihood that unsafe deserialization vulnerabilities remain active.
Mandatory malware scanning of data received over networks or storage media intercepts malicious serialized payloads before they are deserialized by the target application.