CVE-2026-24049 is a path traversal vulnerability classified under CWE-22 and CWE-732 affecting the Python wheel package management tool, specifically versions prior to 0.46.2. The vulnerability resides in the unpack function, which improperly handles file permissions after extracting files from a wheel archive. Although the extraction process sanitizes file paths to prevent directory traversal, the subsequent chmod operation blindly trusts the filename from the archive header. This discrepancy allows an attacker to craft a malicious wheel file containing filenames that, when unpacked, modify permissions of arbitrary files outside the intended extraction directory, including critical system files such as /etc/passwd, SSH keys, or configuration files. By changing these files' permissions to writable, an attacker can escalate privileges or execute arbitrary code by modifying scripts or binaries that the system or users trust. Exploitation requires local access and user interaction to unpack the malicious wheel file, but no prior authentication is needed. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 score of 7.1, indicating high severity due to its impact on integrity and availability, ease of exploitation with low attack complexity, and no privileges required. No known exploits are reported in the wild as of the publication date. The issue was addressed in wheel version 0.46.2 by properly validating file paths and permissions during unpacking to prevent unauthorized permission changes.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses significant risks, particularly in environments where Python wheel files are unpacked automatically or manually, such as development, continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, and production systems. Successful exploitation can lead to privilege escalation, allowing attackers to gain higher system privileges and potentially full control over affected machines. This could result in unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of services, or persistent backdoors. Critical infrastructure sectors relying on Python for automation, orchestration, or application deployment are especially vulnerable. Additionally, organizations with strict compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR) may face legal and reputational consequences if this vulnerability leads to data breaches or system compromises. The requirement for local access and user interaction somewhat limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments with multiple users or shared systems.

1. Upgrade all instances of the wheel package to version 0.46.2 or later immediately to ensure the vulnerability is patched. 2. Audit and inventory all systems and environments where wheel is used, including developer workstations, build servers, and production environments, to identify vulnerable versions. 3. Restrict permissions on directories where wheel files are unpacked to limit the ability to modify critical system files. 4. Implement strict validation and sandboxing of wheel files before unpacking, especially those obtained from untrusted sources. 5. Incorporate security scanning tools in CI/CD pipelines to detect vulnerable wheel versions and malicious wheel files. 6. Educate developers and system administrators about the risks of unpacking untrusted wheel files and enforce policies to avoid such practices. 7. Monitor system logs and file permission changes for suspicious activity indicative of exploitation attempts. 8. Consider using containerization or isolated environments for unpacking wheel files to limit the blast radius of potential exploitation.