CVE-2026-3840 is a path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22) in kedro-org/kedro version 1.2.0. The vulnerability arises because the _get_versioned_path() method in kedro/io/core.py directly interpolates user-supplied version strings into filesystem paths without sanitization. Additionally, the CLI parameter --load-versions is vulnerable due to lack of validation in _split_load_versions() in kedro/framework/cli/utils.py. This allows an attacker with local privileges to provide crafted version strings to escape the intended versioned dataset directory, potentially reading unauthorized files, causing data poisoning, or accessing data across projects or tenants. The CVSS 3.0 score is 7.1 (High), reflecting local attack vector, low complexity, required privileges, no user interaction, and high confidentiality and integrity impact. No official patch or remediation level has been published yet.

An attacker with local access and privileges can exploit this vulnerability to perform path traversal attacks by supplying crafted version strings. This can lead to unauthorized reading of files outside the intended dataset directory, data poisoning, and unauthorized cross-project or cross-tenant data access. The integrity and confidentiality of data managed by Kedro can be compromised. There is no indication of availability impact. No known exploits in the wild have been reported.

Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is available, avoid using version strings from untrusted sources or restrict access to trusted users only. Monitor vendor communications for updates on patches or official mitigations.