CVE-2026-24152
Published: 24 March 2026
Summary
CVE-2026-24152 is a high-severity Deserialization of Untrusted Data (CWE-502) vulnerability in Nvidia Megatron-Lm. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Malicious File (T1204.002); ranked at the 19.8th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
Directly addresses the CVE by requiring identification, reporting, and timely remediation of the deserialization flaw in Megatron-LM checkpoint loading.
Mandates validation of checkpoint files as information inputs to prevent improper deserialization leading to RCE.
Requires integrity verification of checkpoint files before loading to detect and block maliciously crafted data causing code execution.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Direct RCE via malicious checkpoint file (deserialization) requires user execution of crafted file in Python-based framework.
NVD Description
NVIDIA Megatron-LM contains a vulnerability in checkpoint loading where an Attacker may cause an RCE by convincing a user to load a maliciously crafted file. A successful exploit of this vulnerability may lead to code execution, escalation of privileges, information…
more
disclosure, and data tampering.
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2026-24152 affects NVIDIA Megatron-LM, a framework for training large language models, specifically in its checkpoint loading functionality. The vulnerability arises from improper deserialization of untrusted data (CWE-502), enabling an attacker to achieve remote code execution (RCE) by crafting a malicious checkpoint file. Published on 2026-03-24, it carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating high severity due to substantial impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
A local attacker with low privileges can exploit this vulnerability by convincing a legitimate user to load the maliciously crafted checkpoint file into Megatron-LM. Successful exploitation grants code execution on the host system, potentially leading to privilege escalation, information disclosure, and data tampering.
Mitigation guidance is detailed in advisories including the NVIDIA security bulletin at https://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5769, the NVD entry at https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-24152, and the CVE record at https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-24152. Security practitioners should consult these for patching instructions and workarounds specific to affected Megatron-LM versions.
Details
- CWE(s)