VulnerabilityPublished 11 Nov 2024Updated 19 Nov 2024

CVE-2024-50636: PyMOL 2.5.0 contains a

Source CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 9.8 Critical.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 08:30 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

9.8Critical

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 1.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 69% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: High

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Network: The vulnerable component is bound to the network stack and the set of possible attackers extends beyond the other options listed, up to and including the entire Internet. Such a vulnerability is often termed 'remotely exploitable' and can be thought of as an attack being exploitable at the protocol level one or more network hops away (e.g., across one or more routers).
Attack Complexity: Low: Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required: None: The attacker is unauthorized prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files to carry out an attack.
User Interaction: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without any interaction from any user.
Scope: Unchanged: An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality: High: There is total loss of confidentiality, resulting in all resources within the impacted component being divulged to the attacker. Alternatively, access to only some restricted information is obtained, but the disclosed information presents a direct, serious impact.
Integrity: High: There is a total loss of integrity, or a complete loss of protection. For example, the attacker is able to modify any/all files protected by the impacted component. Alternatively, only some files can be modified, but malicious modification would present a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component.
Availability: High: There is total loss of availability, resulting in the attacker being able to fully deny access to resources in the impacted component; this loss is either sustained (while the attacker continues to deliver the attack) or persistent (the condition persists even after the attack has completed). Alternatively, the attacker has the ability to deny some availability, but the loss of availability presents a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component (e.g., the attacker cannot disrupt existing connections, but can prevent new connections; the attacker can repeatedly exploit a vulnerability that, in each instance of a successful attack, leaks a only small amount of memory, but after repeated exploitation causes a service to become completely unavailable).

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v3.1 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 11 Nov 2024
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

AI-suggested

To mitigate CVE-2024-50636, organizations should immediately implement the following measures: 1) Avoid opening .PYM files from untrusted or unknown sources to prevent execution of malicious code. 2) Restrict PyMOL usage to trusted environments and users with limited privileges to reduce potential damage. 3) Employ application whitelisting and endpoint detection to monitor and block suspicious Python script executions. 4) Use network segmentation to isolate systems running PyMOL from critical infrastructure. 5) Monitor logs for unusual process behavior or network connections indicative of reverse shell activity. 6) If possible, disable or restrict the "Run Script" functionality within PyMOL until a vendor patch is available. 7) Engage with the PyMOL development community or vendor for updates and patches addressing this vulnerability. 8) Educate users on the risks of opening unverified .PYM files and enforce strict file handling policies. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice and focus on reducing attack surface and early detection.

Description

PyMOL 2.5.0 contains a vulnerability in its "Run Script" function, which allows the execution of arbitrary Python code embedded within .PYM files. Attackers can craft a malicious .PYM file containing a Python reverse shell payload and exploit the function to achieve Remote Command Execution (RCE). This vulnerability arises because PyMOL treats .PYM files as Python scripts without properly validating or restricting the commands within the script, enabling attackers to run unauthorized commands in the context of the user running the application.

Impact

The impact of CVE-2024-50636 is severe for organizations relying on PyMOL 2.5.0, particularly in academic, pharmaceutical, and biotech sectors where molecular visualization is critical. Successful exploitation can lead to full system compromise, including unauthorized data access, data manipulation, and disruption of scientific workflows. Attackers can establish persistent access via reverse shells, escalate privileges, and move laterally within networks. Since the vulnerability requires no authentication or user interaction, it can be exploited through malicious .PYM files delivered via email, file sharing, or compromised repositories. This can result in intellectual property theft, exposure of sensitive research data, and operational downtime. The broad impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability underscores the critical nature of this vulnerability.

Summary

CVE-2024-50636 affects PyMOL version 2.5.0, a molecular visualization system widely used in scientific research. The vulnerability resides in the "Run Script" functionality, which processes .PYM files as Python scripts without adequate validation or sandboxing. This design flaw allows attackers to craft malicious .PYM files containing arbitrary Python code, including reverse shell payloads, which execute with the same privileges as the user running PyMOL. The root cause is improper input validation and the unsafe execution of untrusted script content, classified under CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code). The vulnerability is remotely exploitable without authentication or user interaction, making it highly dangerous. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 reflects the ease of exploitation and the severe impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. No patches or official fixes are currently linked, and no exploits have been reported in the wild yet. This vulnerability poses a significant risk to environments where PyMOL is used to open or share .PYM files, potentially allowing attackers to execute arbitrary commands, steal sensitive data, or disrupt operations.

CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection') (opens in a new tab)
Base weaknessLikelihood of exploit: MediumCWE Top 25 (2025): #10OWASP Top 10 A05:2025: Injection (opens in a new tab)
The product constructs all or part of a code segment using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the syntax or behavior of the intended code segment.
Architecture and Design · Refactoring
Refactor your program so that you do not have to dynamically generate code.
Architecture and Design
Run your code in a "jail" or similar sandbox environment that enforces strict boundaries between the process and the operating system. This may effectively restrict which code can be executed by your product.
Implementation · Input Validation
Assume all input is malicious. Use an "accept known good" input validation strategy, i.e., use a list of acceptable inputs that strictly conform to specifications. Reject any input that does not strictly conform to specifications, or transform it into something that does.
OWASP Cheat Sheets
Server Side Request Forgery Prevention (opens in a new tab)
Unvalidated Redirects and Forwards (opens in a new tab)
Cross Site Scripting Prevention (opens in a new tab)
DOM based XSS Prevention (opens in a new tab)
Abuse Case (opens in a new tab)
OWASP ASVS 4.0.3
V5.2.8 (opens in a new tab)
V5.2.5 (opens in a new tab)
V1.5.1 (opens in a new tab)
Attack patterns
Leverage Executable Code in Non-Executable Files (opens in a new tab)
Manipulating User-Controlled Variables (opens in a new tab)
Code Injection (opens in a new tab)
From MITRE CWE, MITRE CAPEC and OWASP (Top 10, OpenCRE).

References

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 27 Feb 2026, 22:39 UTC

WeaknessesCWE-94

Technical details

References

Community reviews

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